Australia 35-15 Scotland

MATCH DETAILS Australia: 35 Tries: Giteau, Tuqiri (2), Sailor Cons: Roff (2), Burke Pens: Roff (3) Scotland: 15 Pens: Parks (5)

Battling Scotland gave Australia a scare in the first Test at Melbourne's Telstra Dome on Sunday.

The tourists were just a point adrift at half-time before the Wallabies cut loose just past the hour mark.

The World Cup finalists scored four tries through Lote Tuqiri (2), Matt Giteau and Wendell Sailor, with Joe Roff kicking 13 points.

Scotland's points all came from the boot of impressive stand-in fly-half Dan Parks.

Australia opened the scoring on four minutes when Joe Roff landed a penalty after Donnie Macfadyen was penalised for slowing the ball down at the tackle area.

Roff added another three points nine minutes later to become only the fifth Australian to score 200 points.

And when Matt Giteau crossed for his fifth Test try on 16 minutes after a swift counter-attack from deep inside the Australian half, the signs were ominous for the Scots.

Scotland centre Ben Hinshelwood gets to grips with Lote Tuqiri

But they recovered their composure and, thanks to some great tackling and several impressive driving mauls, began to pressurise the home side.

Parks, preferred at fly-half to Gordon Ross, reduced the deficit on 21 minutes with a penalty.

And the Sydney-born player kicked another nine points as Scotland finished the half just one point adrift of the World Cup finalists.

Australia opened up a six-point lead with a Lote Tuqiri try on 48 minutes, but a fifth Parks penalty four minutes later kept the visitors in touch.

Roff restored Australia's advantage with his third penalty.

Have Your Say What can Scotland take from the game?

Then Tuqiri's second touchdown on 63 minutes put the home side firmly in command with 17 minutes left, Roff's second conversion making the gap 13 points.

Wendell Sailor was denied a try by a superb tackle from full-back Hugo Southwell, getting his first Test start in place of the injured Chris Paterson.

But the former rugby league star was able to cross the line for an easy score with just four minutes left after plucking Simon Webster's kick out of the air.

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Australia: J Roff; W Sailor, C Rathbone, M Giteau, L Tuqiri; S Larkham, G Gregan (captain); B Young, B Cannon, A Baxter, J Harrison, N Sharpe, R Samo, G Smith, D Lyons.

Replacements: J Paul, M Dunning, D Vickerman, P Waugh, M Turinui, M Burke, C Latham.

Scotland: H Southwell; S Lamont, B Hinshelwood, A Henderson, S Webster; D Parks, C Cusiter; T Smith, G Bulloch, B Douglas, S Grimes, S Murray (captain), J White, D MacFadyen, A Hogg.

Replacements: S Scott, C Smith, I Fullarton, J Petrie, M Blair, G Ross, G Morrison.

Referee: Donal Courtney (Ireland).