Blockbusting performances against Wales from rookie locks Adam Coleman and Rory Arnold have quickly eased concerns about Australia’s set piece fragility.

Touted as a weakness especially after the selection of the 184cm David Pocock at blindside flanker, Australia was as strong as they have been in some time at Millennium Stadium on Saturday but the power performance didn’t stop there.

With Coleman calling the shots and the towering 208cm Arnold reeling in Stephen Moore’s accurate throws, Australia’s lineout suddenly seems to have a bright future.

The barnstorming duo were also among Australia’s most effective midfield runners and physical tacklers.

“We love to be physical, we both love to run the ball and it’s something we worked very hard on this week,” Coleman said.

“We’re really enjoying the opportunity to run the ball and run those hard lines and set up a platform for our shape and hopefully off the back of that we’ll capitalise on those opportunities.

In the set piece, they made the experienced pair of Luke Charteris and Bradley Davies look decidedly second-rate, though Wales was clearly hurt by the absence of Alun Wyn Jones, who missed the match following the death of his father.

Australia won 12 of 13 lineouts on their own throw and their first try – to hooker Stephen Moore after 11 minutes – came off the back of a rolling maul from a lineout close to the tryline.

All this from two rookies who debuted during Australia’s whitewash loss to England in June.

“As a lock you always enjoy lineouts, it’s like a hooker and props talking about scrums all the time,” Coleman said of his new-found seniority in calling the lineouts.

“We’re constantly talking about lineouts and how we’re going to improve and how we’re going to attack different opposition and different shapes.

“It’s something I’ve always enjoyed and I really feel like I thrive in that situation.”

Skipper Moore was proud of the performance but cautioned that one swallow doesn’t make a summer and reminded fans that Scotland’s brotherly tall timber of Richie and Jonny Gray will not fall quietly.