Wallabies want to 'set a standard' in new season

Scotland coach wants team to win back pride after a poor Six Nations campaign.

Australia practise at the Hunter Stadium in Newcastle, Australia, yesterday.

Australia play Scotland today with the memories of two defeats foremost in the minds of most of the Wallabies.

When Australia last played Scotland in 2009, at Murrayfield, they lost 9-8. The Wallabies were then beaten 32-23 by Samoa in last year's season-opening international.

The two upsets are among the lowest points in the coaching tenure of Robbie Deans, and Stephen Moore, the hooker, said the warning signs are there again for Australia, who are featuring six new caps.

Moore was part of both defeats and believes Australia's disrupted preparation will have Scotland optimistic of a win in Newcastle. "They're going to see this as a real opportunity," Moore said yesterday. "It's never good to lose a game like that [against Samoa]. We weren't happy with it and it wasn't acceptable."

Moore said the Wallabies need to make a statement against Scotland, the last-placed Six Nations side, ahead of the three-match series against Wales, the Six Nations champions. "I think in the first Test of the year you really want to set a standard," Moore said.

Scotland have made six changes and added three new caps to the side that lost 13-6 to Italy in their final Six Nations match in Rome in March.

Ryan Grant, the Glasgow prop, will make his debut, while the uncapped Tom Brown (outside back) and Tom Ryder (lock) have been named on the bench. "We were all very disappointed by the results in the Six Nations championship and this tour is about our strong collective determination to put that right, play with confidence and win back pride," Andy Robinson, the Scotland coach, said.

Scotland have played 10 Test matches in Australia and it has been 30 years since their last win - at Brisbane's Ballymore in 1982.

Meanwhile, Jean de Villiers was named the South Africa captain yesterday as Heyneke Meyer, the new Springbok coach, also had to defend some of his surprising selections in his first squad.

Meyer, who took over this year, picked the experienced centre to lead in the three-Test series against England, and plans to review the decision ahead of the southern hemisphere's four-nation championship in August.

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