A convincing second half performance at Murrayfield saw Australia come back from an uninspiring 9-9 half-time score to beat Scotland 30-9 on Saturday.
Once again it was fullback Matt Burke (pictured) who was the main man, scoring a try, three penalties and three conversions for a 20-point personal tally, fresh from his match-winning performance in Paris seven days ago.
Chris Latham and Joe Roff were the other try-scorers for Rod Macqueen's side, who ended nearly four halves of try-less rugby with an expansive second-half display in front of 64,000 fans in Edinburgh -- a record for a non Five/Six Nations Test.
Speaking after the game, Australia coach Rod Macqueen hailed his side's second-half performance, but credited a gallant dfensive display by the Scots, who never made it easy for the world champions.
"We've been finding new combinations, but we looked a bit lost in the first half.
"There is light at the end of the tunnel for us though, and we showed some good structure in the second half.
"Scotland looked to have done a lot of homework, especially on our lineouts. They were the best team we've come up against in terms of lineouts."
On a surprisingly bright day given the recent flooding in Britain, it was Australian kicking machine Matt Burke who broke the deadlock with a penalty in what was to be a kicking-dominated half after the Scotland scrum made the first of many infringements.
Gregor Townsend made a nervous kicking start for Scotland, putting wide a drop goal early on, but keeping his cool to equalise at 3-3 with a penalty five minutes after Burke's opener.
Glimpses of try-scoring chances were rare in the first half, and as the usually prolific Burke hooked a penalty wide of the posts, the capacity crowd at Murrayfield upped the volume, and appeared to inspire their troops to a string of rolling mauls in Australian territory, ultimately coming away empty handed though.
Townsend kicked Scotland in to the lead soon after with an easy penalty in front of the posts, only for Burke to tie the scores again at 6-6 only two minutes later.
Burke, fresh from kicking Australia to victory with six penalties in Paris against France was increasingly having a big say in proceedings as the game slowed down even further, both packs failing to maintain discipline in and around the ruck.
It was Burke indeed who gave the world champions the lead back after 29 minutes with yet another penalty, before Townsend equalled the scores a minute later with the boot.
Scotland had the chance to snatch a half-time lead after their drive in to the left corner gained momentum in the Australia 22.
As play ground to a halt though the Scot were awarded yet another penalty. This time the kick from the right touch was too much of an ask for Townsend, as the sides went in neck-and-neck at 9-9.
A dour 50 minutes of solid defensive rugby was finally broken down by the Wallabies, who after a period of sustained pressure on halfway broke through the centres with Stirling Mortlock at pace. Mortlock held his nerve though and waited for the superbly timed diagonal run of fullback Chris Latham, who scithed through the three-quarters from the 22 for the try, converted by Burke.
The Scottish defensive resolve was always apparent though, and even the most hanging of crossfield Garryowens could not rattle them, as Australia probed in the 22.
The introduction of Elton Flatley at stand-off appeared to have ignited the Australian back line, as their more adventutous play started to develop from depth instead of the stale flat lines of the first 60 minutes, where Kafer looked horizontally more often than forward.
Good rucking from both packs ensured that the ball stayed mainly in the grasp of the forwards, but Scotland's Gregor Townsend and Chris Paterson looked like illuminating the play if only their eight could get them that elusive ball in hand.
The Wallabies though gradually wore down the Scottish battlers upfront, and as the ball sat at the feet of the Australian ruck on halfway, Cordingley spun the ball out to the left, with the three-quarters gaining ground on their weary opponents.
Daniel Herbert surged forwards, and as the defence came up in his face on the 22, shipped the ball out left to the flank for Chris Latham to deftly palm the ball in to Joe Roff's hands five metres out in the corner.
Only Cameron Murray stood between Roff and the try line, and Roff burst through him to claim Australia's second try of the game, with Burke making the touch-line conversion look easy for a 23-9 lead going in to the last 20 minutes.
Australia started to show their class as the second half entered its final stages, with their willingness to get the ball out wide combining with the apparent capitulation of the superb defence shown by Scotland in the first half.
The third try of the game came from the kicking hero Matt Burke, when Joe Roff came off his left wing to burst in to the outside centre channel as the ball was worked right by the Wallabies.
His cutting run on halfway saw him burst through the weak attempted tackle by Allan Bulloch. Roff sped down the right touchline, before drawing the last defender on the 22 and passing to Matt Burle on the outside to dive in the corner.
Again, not even the sternest of kicking tests could curtail Burke's inspired kicking form, as he slotted over from the right touchline with ease.
The Murrayfield crowd willed Scotland on for a consolation try, but it was not forthcoming, and the day belonged to the world champion Wallabies, who ended the first of their Tests on British soil for this season as 30-9 winners.
The teams:
Australia: 1 Fletcher Dyson, 2 Michael Foley, 3 Bill Young, 4 John Eales (c), 5 David Giffin, 6 Matt Cockbain, 7 George Smith, 8 Toutai Kefu, 9 Sam Cordingley, 10 Rod Kafer, 11 Matthew Burke, 12 Dan Herbert, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 14 Joe Roff, 15 Chris Latham
Reserves: Mark Connors, Elton Flatley, Nathan Grey, Jeremy Paul, Glenn Panoho, Chris Whitaker, Jim Williams
Scotland: 1 George Graham, 2 Steve Brotherstone, 3 Tom Smith, 4 Stuart Grimes, 5 Scott Murray, 6 Budge Pountney (c), 7 Jon Petrie, 8 Simon Taylor, 9 Bryan Redpath, 10 Gregor Townsend, 11 Jon Steel, 12 Alan Bulloch, 13 John Leslie, 14 Cammie Murray, 15 Chris Paterson
Reserves: Richard Metcalfe, Gordon McIlwham, Gordon Bulloch, Jason White
Unused: Graeme Beveridge, Duncan Hodge, Craig Joiner
Referee: White c.
Points Scorers:
Australia
Tries: Burke M.C. 1, Latham C.E. 1, Roff J.W.C. 1
Conv: Burke M.C. 3
Pen K.: Burke M.C. 3
Scotland
Pen K.: Townsend G.P.J. 3
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