Rugby Union: Peerless Burke

Australia 45 Scotland 3

EVEN though the score was a lot less embarrassing than the one inflicted on England seven days previously, Scotland still suffered their heaviest defeat against Australia yesterday. The Scots, whose only realistic ambition was to improve on England's 76-0 hammering in Brisbane last weekend, had effectively achieved that objective when they reached the interval trailing by just 13-3. But after half-time, the Wallabies' class told, just as it had during their 37-8 victory at Murrayfield last winter, and they duly ran in 32 unanswered points, including four tries.

Derrick Lee, the London Scottish full-back who was playing on the wing, kicked the tourists' only points just before the break. But his efforts were somewhat eclipsed by Matthew Burke, the Australian full-back, who notched up a match total of 25 points.

Australia's right wing, Ben Tune, who scored a hat-trick of tries against England, helped himself to two more, while the long-serving centre Tim Horan touched down in the first half and the flanker David Wilson, in his 50th Test, went over under the posts just before the end.

Scotland at least tried to play attacking rugby, but the Australian captain John Eales was in devastating line-out form, underlining how much of a rethink the Scotland coach Jim Telfer faces before the second Test in Brisbane on Saturday.

The omens looked far from auspicious for Scotland when, after only five minutes, a collapsed scrum resulted in the departure of their hooker, Gordon Bulloch, with a dislocated shoulder.

Burke then made no mistake with his first penalty in the 15th minute after David Hilton had infringed at a scrum, and he later made it 6-0 when Scotland were again penalised at a rolling maul. With half-time beckoning, a missed touch kick by Gregor Townsend gave Australia the chance to counter- attack. Burke's long pass found Daniel Herbert who outpaced Lee before linking with Phil Kearns whose quick pass put Horan in under the posts, with Burke converting.

Scotland got off the mark with Lee's penalty in injury-time. But that was cancelled out by a third Burke penalty just after half-time and a superb try, created by Joe Roff with a neat chip and gather followed by a well-timed pass to put Burke over.

Burke added another penalty before converting Tune's first try. George Gregan darted on the blind side before flinging a pass inside. The ball went to ground but Tune picked it up quickly and surged over. With five minutes left, Tune ran in his second try, again converted by Burke, and the Wallabies completed the rout with Wilson's injury-time effort.

"We didn't play as well as last week but that was because the opposition were a lot better," said Eales. "They played very well and the final scoreline really flattered us." Telfer agreed, saying: "Australia deserved to win well but I don't know that they were 45 points better than us. I think we gifted them one or two tries because we were trying to play a more expansive game."

Australia: M Burke; B Tune, D Herbert, T Horan, J Roff; S Larkham, G Gregan; R Harry (D Crowley, 65), P Kearns (J Paul, 70), A Blades, T Bowman, J Eales (capt), M Cockbain, D Wilson, T Kefu (W Ofahengaue, 50).

Scotland: G Metcalfe; D Lee, C Murray, R Shepherd, S Longstaff; G Townsend, B Redpath; D Hilton, G Bulloch (K McKenzie, 5), M Proudfoot, S Grimes, S Murray, R Wainwright (capt), G Simpson (A Roxburgh, 78), E Peters.

Referee: A Watson (South Africa).