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Wallabies brace for Scots' ex-Aussie 'triple threat'
Darren Walton, AAP • November 20th, 2024 3:30 pm
Photo: James Gourley/AAP
Mitigating the influence of "one that got away" and another of world rugby's most elusive talents is the priority for the Wallabies as Joe Schmidt's surprise packets continue their pursuit of an unlikely grand slam sweep.
Knowing the enormity of the challenge of beating bogey side Scotland, the Wallabies are desperately trying to avoid the hype accompanying their audacious attempt to become the first Australian side in 40 years to take down all four home nations in the British Isles.
It's boom or bust at Murrayfield on Monday morning (AEDT) against a nation that has won five of their past nine Tests against Australia stretching back to when the Scots cruelly ended the Wallabies' hopes of an unbeaten grand slam tour in 2009 with a famous 9-8 triumph in Edinburgh.
In fact, the Wallabies' only victories over Scotland in the past decade have been three one-point escapes, including a controversial, last-gasp 35-34 World Cup quarter-final win at Twickenham in 2015.
Photo: AP
Little wonder why the Wallabies are refusing to publicly contemplate setting up a momentous all-or-nothing grand slam decider on Saturday week against Schmidt's former Ireland side in Dublin.
"They've always been a tough outfit physically. The forward pack is really good, so we've just got to match that and go," said Wallabies back-rower Langi Gleeson.
Veteran halfback Nic White noted how the Wallabies had been "a bee's" away from falling against England in a tour-opening thriller two weeks ago, and that they must improve even on last Saturday's 52-20 rout of Wales.
"We fully understand we've got a lot of hard work ahead of us to get to where we want to be," White said.
"We're going to have to be a lot better to come to Murrayfield and get a result against the Scottish side that's just really bloody good at the moment."
Scotland are captained by Victorian-born former Melbourne Rebels centre Sione Tuipulotou, who switched allegiances after failing to crack it at Test level in Australia.
White hailed the powerhouse midfielder a "triple threat".
"You can't stop a guy like that. He's just world-class," White said.
Photo: AP
"He's (got a) low centre of gravity, very powerful, but slick hands and has a good kicking game as well. Looks to be a really smart defender.
"Unfortunately (one that we) let get away and he's going to have a point to prove this weekend."
Dynamic flyhalf Finn Russell is another danger the Wallabies will try to keep in check.
"What you can do is try to limit his impact on the game, but it's impossible to take world-class players like that out of the game," White said.
"He's just that classy and they've got a number of guys that are world-class that we've got to try to limit."
The match kicks off at 12.30am on Monday (AEDT), with Schmidt to name his Wallabies team on Friday.
Tuipulotou's younger brother Mosese, a former NSW Waratahs squad member, could also feature for Scotland.
