Wallabies lose to Scotland as horror run stretches to eight

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The Wallabies have now lost eight straight matches in the northern hemisphere, and it’s not clear how they’re going to turn it around.

The Wallabies woeful form in the northern hemisphere continued at Murrayfield, with former Aussie Test player Jack Dempsey scoring a vital try to secure a dour 15-12 victory for Scotland.

Australia managed to patch up their shocking defence seen in recent games but this time the Wallabies’ attack went missing for most of the game, despite repeated chances in the Scottish half.

The defeat was the Wallabies’ eighth straight loss in the northern hemisphete, dating back to 2024.

Dempsey scored a try in the 27th minute to establish a 12-5 Scotland lead but a dour contest then unfolded, with no more points until a Finn Russell penalty in the 75th minute. The three points proved decisive.

Max Jorgensen finally scored a try for the Wallabies in the 79th minute, setting up a grandstand finish. And the Wallabies immediately created a chance to score again, when a Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii break from inside the 22 set Jorgensen free on the right wing. He passed it to Tom Wright in support but a covering tackle pushed the fullback out, ending the game.

The late attacking flourish was all the more frustrating for Wallabies fans, who saw a timid and often aimless attack either relying far too much on the contestable turn to a kick, or playing narrowly and struggling to penetrate the Scotland defence.

One 18-phase attack in the last quarter summed things up, with no inroads made and a penalty eventually given. Several chances in the second half were also botched with loose passes going to ground and an overall lack of attacking cohesion.

The Wallabies had a try to potentially level scores just before halftime stripped, too, when a rolling maul try for Billy Pollard was scratched due to a lineout lifter being in front of the jumper.

It was the same call that cost the Wallabies painfully in the first Bledisloe Cup in Auckland, and showed Australia had not learned their lesson. Pollard was also sin-binned in the second half for a high tackle, making the job even tougher.

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