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That was heartbreaking for Scotland. A cruel bounce conceded that final, match-winning, last-minute penalty and Australia, by the skin of their teeth, make it to the semi-finals.
That means it’s a southern hemisphere clean sweep. But surely that’s the best northern hemisphere performance of the quarter-finals by Scotland? It wasn’t just resilience and nebulous spirit that saw them come so close to a huge upset, but great nous too. If any Six Nations team can come out of the knock-out rounds with their heads held high, it’s them.
The semi-final draw is complete then. New Zealand play South Africa on Saturday, followed by Argentina v Australia on Sunday. It may be a Rugby Championship affair from now on, but what we’ve seen this weekend suggests it’s going to be brilliant nonetheless.
Thanks for reading, as well as for all your emails and tweets. Sorry I couldn’t use them all. I’m off for a lie-down.
Updated
Full-time: Australia 35-34 Scotland
Kuridrani collects and Australia keep it right. Recycled once, they hold their discipline and Giteau boots it into touch.
Penalty (Foley 80) Australia 35-34 Scotland
From 16 metres in, six outside of the 22, Foley drills it through. There are 30 seconds left.
Updated
79 min Oh no. It’s knocked on at the lineout by Strauss, then Welsh plays it from an offside position. Penalty Australia.
@DanLucas86 Could it be? 3 minutes to IMMORTALITY!
— Derek Robertson (@derekrocks) October 18, 2015
77 min After a series of resets, Scotland get the free-kick. Hogg pumps it deep to Beale, who returns. Hogg does likewise and Giteau runs it back, passing right to Phipps but he’s dragged out into touch.
75 min Scotland faff about at the restart and Strauss misses it, but the ball is knocked on by Australia. Scottish scrum just a couple of metres outside their 22. Welsh is on for the magnificent Nel.
TRY!!!!!! (Bennett + Laidlaw con 74) Australia 32-34 Scotland
Scotland come away with it and Laidlaw puts it high, but Beale takes well in the downpour on his on 10 metre line. It’s recycled, but then Slipper throws an intercept pass straight to Bennett 35 metres out and the centre sprints under the posts unopposed!
Updated
Scottish weather at Twickenham. It's hosing down here. Is it an omen? Eight minutes to go...
— Owain Jones (@OwainJTJones) October 18, 2015
71 min Genia off, Phipps on. Horne off, limping, and Vernon replaces him as the rain comes down.
70 min Denton takes the restart on his 22, before Russell sends it up high. Ashley-Cooper drops it backwards under pressure from Lamont, but then Genia knocks the ball on in contact. Hogg spots space behind the defence and kicks towards it, but puts it out on the full so we go back for the scrum.
Penalty (Laidlaw 69) Australia 32-27 Scotland
From near enough in front, Laidlaw gets Scotland back within a score.
Updated
68 min Scotland pile the bodies in, just metres out as they seek an instant response and they get another penalty for not rolling away. Australia have brought Mumm on for Simmons, while Scotland replace Jonny Gray with Tim Swinson.
67 min Scotland lineout inside the 22, on the right and Richie Gray takes it. Hardy peels and drives, before Strauss – on for Cowan – takes it on.
66 min Genia finds touch with a good clearance, almost to halfway from deep in his own 22. Brown finds his man with the throw, though Scotland could really have done with him doing that five metres from his own line a few minutes ago. Penalty against Polota-Nau for not rolling away.
Conversion (Foley 65) Australia 32-24 Scotland
Foley’s simple conversion extends the lead to two scores. Lamont is on for Seymour.
Try! (Kuridrani 64) Australia 30-24 Scotland
Australia move it right, slowly, looking for a way to the line. Hooper drives to within a metre, but can’t quite make it. Left it goes again and Kuridrani stretches out of a double tackle to touch down.
Updated
63 min The new hooker, Polota-Nau, throws it in but Scotland stop the driving maul very well. Genia tries to put a grubber through to the corner, but Maitland shepherds it out. Brown’s throw is stolen at the front though...
62 min That was some lovely passing from Australia, popping it short to put Ashley-Cooper away for what looked like a certain try only for Hogg to put in a great try-saving tackle. Back left it comes and there’s a try on, but the final pass to Mitchell goes loose and is hacked into touch by Maitland.
61 min Scotland need to be careful here as they try and play from their own 22, so eventually Hogg wisely puts boot to ball. Beale runs it back, dangerously, and Australia work it right with Ashley-Cooper so nearly slipping round the outside.
60 min From very very wide on the left, Laidlaw just hooks it left and it remains Australia ahead by one. Scotland now have their highest ever score against Australia though.
Try! (Seymour 59) Australia 25-24 Scotland
Oh my word. Foley gets it on the blindside and takes way too long with his kick, which is charged down and gathered by Russell. He’s caught by Genia, but offloads to Seymour to fly into the corner!
Updated
57 min Scotland go on the attack now, putting width on it and sending it out to Denton down the left touchline. He pops it back in to Hogg who carries it on, but then the next offload goes to the floor and Australia get it. Ashley-Cooper makes a hash of his clearance and the low kick bounces off the knee of WP Nel and into a Scottish back. Accidental offside and Australia have a scrum in the middle of their own half.
56 min From said lineout Australia go left, but Hardie is in there to win the turnover.
55 min Brown finds Richie Gray, but at the breakdown Russell shoes it forward and eventually it bobbles into touch for an Australia lineout.
54 min A couple of changes, with Brown coming on for Ford and Holmes for Kepu. From the restart, the teams kick it back and forth with Foley finding touch on the left a metre inside Scotland’s half.
This is 100% correct.
@DanLucas86 It's a ridiculous rule that it's an automatic yellow card for a deliberate knock on. Should be for blatant cases not borderline.
— Richard Kilty (@RichardKilty) October 18, 2015
Penalty (Foley 54) Australia 25-19 Scotland
A touch to the right and dead on the 10 metre line, Foley puts it through.
Updated
52 min Australia look to go from deep and Beale wriggles through along the ground to make slow, slow ground. Scotland win the turnover through Denton, but Joubert says he was offside.
“Still gutted at the loss,” writes Ieuan Evans. Surely not THE Ieuan Evans?
51 min Slipper is on for Sio. Australia have the lineout just outside the 22 but, for the first time in this World Cup, Moore’s throw is stolen and Russell clears for Scotland.
50 min It’s a Scotland scrum then, underneath their own posts. Sio folds again, but Joubert lets it go and Hogg sends the clearance out to touch on the right. Sio is hurt here, having taken a pounding today and I don’t think he’ll continue.
49 min Remember how the Australians used to moan about the English driving maul? Well they’ve embraced it and to great effect, as they go up to the line here. It’s reset twice then flung out to Ashley-Cooper, with an enormous overlap and he goes over. But we’re going to the TMO and he spots a knock on at the base of a ruck by Genia under pressure from Cowan.
48 min Scotland make a change at prop, with Gordon Reid replacing Dickinson. They make a mistake at the restart though as Russell turns and slings a woeful pass wide of Hogg. The full-back picks it up and passes to Seymour on his right, but the wing is dragged into touch five metres from his own line.
Penalty (Laidlaw 47) Australia 22-19 Scotland
From 10 metres infield, just outside the 22, Laidlaw gets it to bend back in at the last moment and narrowly inside the upright.
Updated
46 min Scotland get another scrum penalty as Sio goes down again. Nel is giving him a schooling today.
45 min Ashley-Cooper is lifted and secure under the high ball. The maul forms, but it’s knocked on at the back by Genia. That decision to bin Maitland, by the way, was utter nonsense from Joubert in what should be his final game at this tournament.
Conversion (Foley 44) Australia 22-16 Scotland
Foley adds the vinegar with his first successful kick.
Try! (Mitchell 43) Australia 20-16 Scotland
Here comes the driving maul and it crabs infield. Scotland, without their right wing, are short in defence and Genia passes it out to Mitchell for a simple score in the corner.
Updated
42 min Penalty and a yellow card to Maitland for the “deliberate” knock on. Australia go for the corner. If they score here, Craig Joubert will not be a popular man in Scotland.
We’re looking to see if it was a deliberate knock-on. It looks worse in slow-motion, but not for me.
41 min Speaking of Bernard Foley, he’s the man to get the match going again and the short kick-off is knocked on back to Sio. Australia recycle but get turned over, only for Sio to win it back again seconds later on the other side of the pitch. It comes left again and Foley takes it flat, looking to get it out to Mitchell and Maitland knocks on trying to get the interception.
Back out come the players. I’m not certain Scotland can hang on, to be honest – their defence has been too porous, but they’ve kept their discipline well and Foley is having an off day from the tee.
Good question this.
@DanLucas86 Scotland popping it around with confidence. I wonder though if they'd be kicking it downfield so much if Folau were playing.
— thechuckchinaski (@ChuckChinaski) October 18, 2015
He’s not though and Scotland have spotted a weakness in Foley under the high ball.
If that last entry has the score at 17-16, refresh the page and it the “technical error” should be fixed.
Half-time: Australia 15-16 Scotland
Five metres in from the right and Foley misses yet again. Scotland have been cut apart all too easily, yet they lead at the break!
Updated
Try! (Hooper 40) Australia 15-16 Scotland
Fardy again takes the lineout and Australia pour bodies into the maul. Over the line it goes and Joubert says try.
Updated
39 min Foley goes to the corner...
38 min Fardy takes it in and Australia look to maul it forward, up to the 22. Scotland think they’ve won the scrum, but Denton is penalised for swimming up the side of the maul.
37 min Scotland come back inside, but their offloading is very loose and not conducive to getting over the gainline. Nel looks to gain some momentum for his team, but he’s isolated, Sio gets over it and that’s a penalty for holding on. Giteau with a good kick to touch midway inside the Scotland half on the right.
36 min Wide left they go and Hogg is the man to take it up over halfway. They switch play quickly, with Denton taking it on the bounce and slipping a nice offload out to Maitland off the floor when he’s taken to ground.
35 min The ball goes loose at the restart by Hogg cleans it up and sends the ball spiralling into space in the 22; Mitchell returns. Scotland take it into contact on their own 22, and then steal possession after Laidlaw had kicked it away.
Penalty (Laidlaw 34) Australia 10-16 Scotland
Through it goes.
Updated
33 min Cheers as Nel gets the better of Sio again and the Australian is penalised for collapsing the scrum. Laidlaw from wide on the right, 25 out, will look to extend the lead to six.
32 min Finn with a high restart and Ashley-Cooper knocks on just outside his 22.
31 min From wide out on the left, Foley pushes it wide of the far post.
Updated
Try! (Mitchell 30) Australia 10-13 Scotland
Scotland have committed too many men to the ruck and there’s an overlap out on the left. Foley gives it to Beale, who sends out the perfect pass for Mitchell to run on to and go over for his 13th World Cup try in the corner.
Updated
29 min Giteau looks to spin through the line but Bennett goes low and grabs him round the ankles. Hooper drives on, followed by Sio and they’re within a metre...
28 min Fardy takes it at the front and Australia go for quick ball. Giteau spreads it wide with a miss-pass to Ashley-Cooper, then it’s back inside for McCalman to drive and make ground in the middle. Scotland are looking stretched by the Australian lines being run around the fringes.
27 min Apologies, it was dropped into touch by Bennett so we restart with an Australian scrum. Australia don’t have it easy, but they get the ball out and left, but Beale is caught by Maitland. It looks like there might be a turnover here, but Joubert penalises Scotland for hands in the ruck. Foley kicks to touch on the left, a metre or two inside the 22.
26 min Beale throws a typically outrageous, brilliant offload out the back of his hand to Kuridrani on halfway, but the centre then passes straight to Russell. It’s on for Scotland outside of him, but his pass left goes straight into touch.
25 min Australia spread it left and batter away, but Genia’s kick over the top finds Seymour on the full. We then get a full minute of kicking back and forth.
24 min Scotland lineout on their own 10 metre line and Russell goes high again, but this time Beale is under it and secure.
23 min Moore regains the restart for Australia and they go left, with Foley going over the gainline. They shift it back right and Beale looks to jink through, but Horne strips him of it on the floor. Laidlaw box kicks clear and Australia attack from deep. Foley turns on the gas and bursts through a gap, but his chip ahead is read by Hogg, who dots down.
“Afternoon Dan.” Afternoon, Simon McMahon. “Is something happening here?”
Penalty (Laidlaw 22) Australia 5-13 Scotland
Laidlaw fires it through and puts his side more than a score ahead.
Updated
21 min Scotland get the penalty at the scrum, Australia penalised for collapsing it under pressure from WP Nel. This is brilliant stuff and Laidlaw, from 42 metres or so, will have a crack at goal.
Ewan is bloody loving this.
Rugby.. Gouge eyes, grab bollocks, bite ears, take obnoxious to new levels.. But boo and jeer when someone is kicking? Oh Christ, no!
— Ewan Murray (@mrewanmurray) October 18, 2015
20 min Russell with another booming high kick, returning the restart and Foley, back near his own 10 metre line, knocks it on under no pressure! Are Australia panicking here?
Conversion (Laidlaw 19) Australia 5-10 Scotland
Easy.
Try! (Horne 18) Australia 5-8 Scotland
Horne goes to scrum-half and Australia’s defence goes to sleep around the fringe of the ruck! Under the posts he goes.
Updated
17 min Scotland attack from halfway, looking for gaps. They’ve come back really well from the Australian siege of the first 10 minutes and Denton uses his strength to make ground, before Maitland drives into the 22. Gray and Nel drive on and the try line is just 10 metres away!
15 min Richie Gray is smashed inside his own 22, but it’s back to Russell and he puts up the garryowen from deep, which Seymour chases and catches brilliantly! Scotland recycle and Horne kicks ahead, but overcooks it and Beale dots down for the 22 drop out.
Penalty (Laidlaw 14) Australia 5-3 Scotland
The captain gets a confidence-boosting three points.
13 min Just 10 metres out now and the crowd roar Scotland on. Hogg checks back inside and gets to within five, before Fardy gives away a penalty for playing it on the ground.
Big rugby fan and Guardian golf correspondent reacts:
People are roaring here.. This must be good... Boris Johnson on the ball...
— Ewan Murray (@mrewanmurray) October 18, 2015
12 min Cowan makes a good charge off the back of the lineout, as do Denton and Richie Gray. They’ve made good ground to within 10, but Cowan’s pass wide is poor and taken on the bounce. Still, Scotland come back through the phases.
11 min It’s not a great kick from Foley, drifting across the face of goal. Still, that try had been coming for Australia who have barely been in their own half and barely been without ball so far. Giteau thumps a clearance from the restart into touch halfway inside his own half.
Try! (Ashley-Cooper 9) Australia 5-0 Scotland
Australia pass it right and Seymour comes charging out the line but totally botches his tackle on Kuridrani. It’s easy from there as the No13 sends Ashley-Cooper over from 30 metres.
Updated
8 min Australia lineout just inside the Scottish half and Hooper breaks the gainline, tight to touch. On they go, back inside before Foley switches play with a lovely inside pass to Beale...
7 min It’s taken at the back by McCalman and Australia carry into the 22, but it’s knocked on under pressure by Kane Douglas. Laidlaw box kicks to touch up the right.
6 min The crowd gets behind Scotland as they get the game’s first scrum, under their own posts. They’re under big pressure as Denton picks up at the back, but then Russell spins it wide to Maitland behind his own line! The wing clears to Beale, who gives it to Mitchell (this isn’t Eastenders) and he kicks it back. Russell clears to touch just outside his own 22 on the Australia right.
5 min Through the phases we go before Foley steps inside, reminiscent of his try against England and goes for the line. He offloads inside and Mitchell drops it over the line! Not sure Foley needed to pass that.
4 min Quick ball off the scrum goes right and Ashley-Cooper barrels into Hogg out wide. Back left it comes and Mitchell makes ground in the 22, before they switch it back right and Hooper nearly makes a break, coming round on the loop.
2 min Australia are on the attack straight away as Giteau gives it to Kuridrani and the outside centre crashes up into the 22. Poor control by Sio allows Richie Gray to steal it on the floor, but then Seymour knocks on in contact.
Updated
1 min Finn Russell, at Craig Joubert’s whistle, gets the final quarter-final under way. Australia get an early penalty for an illegal clearout at the ruck, then concede 10 metres for some backchat. Foley kicks to touch five metres outside the 22, on the left.
More from Robin Hazlehurst, with kick-off just a couple of minutes away: “Actually I’d agree with you about Scotland being the most expansive, but it’s a pretty sad indictment of Wales and especially France. They probably will go for it today because they have nothing to lose really, and it could bode very well for their future if it works even only a bit.”
Anthems time. I’ll level with you, the atmosphere for this one is probably the most muted of the quarter-finals, though Scotland’s fans are in fine voice.
Updated
“Hi Dan,” writes Robin Hazlehurst. “England, Wales, France and now Ireland have all succumbed to the South by playing carefully for control and contact, not the speed and free-form flair of the SH nations. May work in the mud and cold of February, but not right now, so what do Scotland do? Take the same approach because it’s what they know, or fling it madly and play Australia at their own game? Can’t see either really working and I wouldn’t fancy Vern Cotter’s job just now.”
There’s a good argument to be made that Scotland play the most expansive rugby of all the Six Nations teams. I don’t think they’re expecting to win today, so I can see them doing exactly this and playing with abandon.
Updated
There’s a double celebration for Australia today, as both Matt Giteau and cap’n Stephen Moore win their 100th Wallaby caps.
Two legends #StrongerAsOne #Gits100 #Moore100 pic.twitter.com/hvmbt2w3dq
— Wallabies (@Wallabies) October 18, 2015
Worth pointing out that the winner of this match plays Argentina in the second semi-final, back here at Twickenham next Sunday. Neither side will be taking that lightly.
So it’s down to Scotland for the northern hemisphere. Here’s how Mike Averis saw an astonishing performance from Argentina, who must be every neutral’s favourite team now (sorry, Japan).
Ford and Gray start
The new Scotland lineup is as follows:
Scotland
Hogg, Maitland, Bennett, Horne, Seymour, Russell, Laidlaw (capt); Dickinson, Ford, Nel, J Gray, R Gray, Cowan, Hardie, Denton.
Replacements: Brown, Reid, Welsh, Swinson, Strauss, Pyrgos, Vernon, Lamont.
Preamble
Afternoon folks. This one should be a walkover, a non-contest. Australia have only beaten the Scots once in the last nine years and today are without two of their best players, as David Pocock and Israel Folau are both suffering from OUCHes. Vern Cotter can prepare for the semi-finals, while Michael Cheika and co. can arrange some self-pity beers with their similarly vanquished Ashes counterparts. Stick a fork in this one; it’s done.
Or, er, not. At the time of writing, less than four hours before kick-off, Cotter still hasn’t decided whether to include Jonny Gray and Ross Ford, who had their bans for a dangerous clearout rescinded yesterday. Never mind whether the bans were deserved or not, it’s farcical that the result of the appeal was decided the day before the match. Scotland have had to prepare without two very very good players and now their plans may well be torn up. It’s hard not to feel sympathy for them.
Scotland have been impressive so far. OK, they got stuffed by South Africa but that was largely with a second team. They won very well against Japan, showed their greater fitness to pull clear of the USA and Greig Laidlaw was nerveless in guiding them to a win over a Samoa side who finally decided to impress.
Australia though have been better. A lot better. In fact, until last night’s All Blacks performance, you’d say they’ve been a fair way better than everyone else in this competition. They have won every match and in their final two pool games they looked like well-rounded winners: clinical and full of finesse against England, while demonic in defence with 13 men against Wales.
The stat about the Wallabies having only beaten Scotland once in nine years is a touch disingenuous. In that time they have only met three times and, though Scotland won two of them, Australia won the last clash at Murrayfield two years ago.
Scotland’s best hope is that the effort their opponents put in against Wales took too much out of them, that they miss two of their most influential players and they get complacent. If none of those things happen, it could be painful for the Scots.
Kick-off is at 4pm BST, or 2am Sydney time. Here are what we think the teams are at the time of writing:
Australia
Beale, Ashley-Cooper, Kuridrani, Giteau, Mitchell, Foley, Genia; Sio, Moore (capt), Kepu, Douglas, Simmons, Fardy, Hooper, McCalman.
Replacements: Polota-Nau, Slipper, Holmes, Mumm, McMahon, Phipps, Toomua, Cooper.
Scotland
Hogg, Maitland, Bennett, Horne, Seymour, Russell, Laidlaw (capt); Dickinson, Brown, Nel, Swinson, Gray, Cowan, Hardie, Denton.
Replacements: Bryce, Reid, Welsh, Strokosch, Strauss, Pyrgos, Vernon, Lamont.
Updated
Dan will be here soon. In the meantime, here’s Rajiv Maharaj on the Wallabies:
Does beating the four Home Nations at a Rugby World Cup on UK soil count as a grand slam? Well, if that’s the case – and there may well be plenty of debate on this - then Australia are on the cusp of an unprecedented achievement: a grand slam within a World Cup.
No team has beaten Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales at the same tournament in the UK, or anywhere else for that matter. Of course, results this weekend would have to fall into line with Australia beating Scotland, and Ireland beating Argentina, which would then pave the way for an historic grand slam semi-final decider. The last and only time the Wallabies pulled of a grand slam was in 1984.
It’s not that other teams have tried and failed grand slam attempts at the World Cup; the draws to date simply haven’t produced the opportunity. The best a team could get was three of the four Home Nations. In 1987, the Wallabies beat England and Ireland and then lost to Wales in the third-place play-off match. In 1991, the year the Wallabies won their first World Cup, they played and beat Wales in pool play, Ireland in the quarter-finals, and then England in the final. Indeed, somewhat ironically, the anomalies of the 2015 draw which has seen England evicted from Twickenham even before the quarter-finals could also produce an opportunity for the Wallabies to land only their second grand slam.
