Scots find positives despite loss

Scotland 14 Australia 31

Williams, who finally seems to be making some progress despite a record which now stands at just one victory from nine Tests, will take heart from a gritty second-half performance.

He has plenty of reason to cheer after the RBS 6 Nations wooden spoonists outscored their opponents 14-3 in the second half, but so too Jones who will take considerable solace from the bruising contest.

Everything was running according to the script at half-time as Australia carved their opponents open with simplistic ease, scoring four tries through Stirling Mortlock, Lote Tuqiri and a brace from Clyde Rathbone.

And with centre Matt Giteau booting all the conversions, Scotland - missing a clutch of their big names such as Scott Murray, Tom Smith and Simon Taylor - were facing another morale-sapping defeat.

But Williams - who had been forced to select from the three Scottish provinces for the match following the refusal of England's clubs to release any of their players - sent out a different side for the second half.

They tore into the Wallabies, crossing through Sean Lamont and substitute Hugo Southwell shortly after the interval, and could have added further tries had they shown more nous.

"We knew we had to pick our heads up. We were in shock because of the way we had let those tries in. At half-time we stressed the need to concentrate and score early in the second half and we did that," said Scotland skipper Gordon Bulloch.

"To beat the Aussies 14-3 in a half of rugby is certainly an achievement but we have to produce that performance for 80 minutes."