HOW AUSTRALIA’S WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL CLASH WITH SCOTLAND IS SHAPING UP
Games played: 28
Australia: 19 wins
Scotland: 9 wins
World Cup record:
Australia: 37 wins, 8 losses
Scotland: 22 wins, 14 losses, 1 draw
Best World Cup finish:
Australia: Champions (1991, 1999)
Scotland: 4th (1991)
World ranking:
Australia: 2
Scotland: 9
Recent clashes between the two nations:
2013: Australia win 21-15 at Murrayfield
2012: Scotland win 9-6 at Newcastle, NSW
2009: Scotland win 9-8 at Murrayfield
Recent form:
Australia: 15-6 win over Wales; 33-13 win over England; 65-3 win over Uruguay.
Scotland: 36-33 win over Samoa; 34-16 loss to South Africa; 39-16 win over the USA
Key players:
Australia: With David Pocock sidelined through injury, Australia needs vice-captain Michael Hooper to step up and shoulder the extra workload at the breakdown. Hooper missed last week through suspension and will be fresher than his teammates – and needs to convert that into tenacious tackling and turnovers.
Scotland: Greig Laidlaw remains Scotland’s best chance at producing a stunning upset in this match, with the tournament’s leading pointscorer (60) a deadly goalkicker who will snaffle any chances offered to him by the Wallabies.
Teams:
Australia: Kurtley Beale, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Ben McCalman, Michael Hooper, Scott Fardy, Rob Simmons, Kane Douglas, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore (capt), Scott Sio. Res: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Dean Mumm, Sean McMahon, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Quade Cooper.
Scotland: Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour, Mark Bennett, Pete Horne, Sean Maitland, Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (capt); David Denton, John Hardie, Blair Cowan, Richie Gray, Tim Swinson, WP Nel, Fraser Brown, Alasdair Dickinson. Res: Kevin Bryce, Gordon Reid, Jon Welsh, Alasdair Strokosch, Josh Strauss, Henry Pyrgos, Richie Vernon, Sean Lamont.
