Super Scotland stun Aussies

Scotland produced a defensive masterclass to claim their first victory over Australia since 1982 with a 9-8 triumph in heavy conditions at Murrayfield.

Matt Giteau missed a conversion attempt with the last kick of the game to seal the Wallabies' fate.

Scotland were on the back foot for long stretches of a forward-dominated contest but produced a superb rearguard to ensure Australia left Edinburgh empty handed.

Giteau and Phil Godman exchanged penalties to leave the match locked at 3-3 at half-time, Scotland having rarely been out of their own half.

Another Godman penalty inched the home side in front before Chris Paterson's 76th-minute drop goal looked to have earned the victory.

But Scotland's line was finally breached by Ryan Cross in the first minute of stoppage time to give Giteau the chance to win it with the final kick.

The Wallabies fly-half, who had an indifferent day with the boot throughout, sliced his attempt wide to give Andy Robinson his second straight win as Scotland head coach.

Resolute

Giteau opened the scoring in the fifth minute after Scotland were penalised for hauling down a lineout.

The visitors almost followed up with a try after Graeme Morrison dropped the ball in the tackle but were denied by some resolute last-ditch defending.

Australia were forced to replace prop Benn Robinson with Sekope Kepu shortly after the quarter hour, before Scotland captain Chris Cusiter hurt his shoulder tackling Adam Ashley-Cooper.

He got up to make another hit to prevent Stephen Moore touching down but that proved the final straw and he was substituted for Rory Lawson. Lock Alastair Kellock took over as skipper.

Far from playing into Scotland's hands, the wet conditions were forcing them into errors.

But the driving maul was one area of dominance and it won them a 27th-minute penalty which Godman arrowed between the posts to level matters, completely against the run of play.

Normal service soon resumed, Giteau pulling the strings both with the boot and out of hand.

But with four minutes of the first half remaining, he was left red-faced after missing a point-blank penalty, awarded for an infringement at the scrum.

Australia ran their next penalty but Giteau was again off target with a drop-goal from similar range and the match remained level at 3-3 at half-time.

Giteau's place kicking nightmare continued immediately after the resumption when another three-point opportunity came up short and wide.

The Wallabies finally breached the Scotland line in the 43rd minute - only for the video referee to rule Rocky Elsom had failed to get the ball down under heavy pressure.

Rare foray

Scotland finally broke out of their own half in the 50th minute when a kick from Nick Di Luca - brought on at the interval for Morrison - turned defence into attack and forced the covering Will Genia to concede a penalty by holding on in the tackle.

Godman was just wide with his kick from close to the touchline but made amends with an easier penalty chance shortly afterwards to put Scotland 6-3 ahead with 27 minutes remaining.

Australia, however, continued to make most of the running - Quade Cooper's forward pass saw them denied a certain try for Drew Mitchell in the left corner.

The tourists' hopes suffered another blow in the 66th minute when number eight Wycliff Palu was stretchered off after hurting his neck in the tackle.

The lengthy delay while Palu received treatment on the field allowed both sides to regroup for one final push.

And Scotland looked to have closed out the result after their forwards drove into prime field position for substitute Paterson to slot over a drop goal.

There was still time for another twist, Australia's pack marching them close to the line with phase upon phase of driving play.

With the defence sucked in, the ball was spun wide for Giteau to release Cross for a simple finish.

That reduced Australia's deficit to one point and gave Giteau the opportunity to make himself the hero - or villain - with the conversion.

His effort never threatened the posts and Scotland were left to celebrate the end of a run of 16 straight defeats against the men from Down Under.