Scotland’s autumn report card reads three wins out of four. That will do nicely, but they felt obliged to defeat a fast-improving Australia to regard the campaign as a success. The hosts eventually scored four tries in overwhelming Joe Schmidt’s young team – there will be no Wallabies grand slam, no emulation of the heroes of 1984 – but the tourists stayed in the battle until the final quarter.

Storm Bert caused havoc across Scotland this week, disrupting both teams’ preparation, but the players awoke to blue skies and mercifully warmer weather compared to that which forced them to train inside a few days ago. Having made six changes from last Sunday’s win in Wales, Schmidt was forced into two further tweaks: the hooker Matt Faessler, who scored a hat-trick in Cardiff, was ruled out with a calf injury, before the lock Jeremy Williams withdrew on Sunday morning due to illness. Brandon Paenga-Amosa started in the front row in place of Faessler, with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the second row.

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