The 'statement' challenge Gregor Townsend has given Scotland

Gregor Townsend has challenged Scotland to set themselves up for the Guinness Six Nations by defeating Australia on Sunday. The Scots have defeated a second-string Fiji side and Portugal this month either side of a spirited display in a 32-15 defeat by South Africa.

Now Townsend wants to see his team sign off their Autumn Nations Series with a statement victory over a resurgent Wallabies side. “If we win, it will give us a massive boost going into the Six Nations because we’re playing a quality side,” said the Scotland head coach.

“It will be frustrating if we don’t deliver a performance that we have been working towards, if we don’t at least match that performance of South Africa in how we played that night. That is what we are building towards. We train for a reason. We train to improve. We train to find a way to win at the weekend and that’s the goal for us on Sunday.

“It’s the last game of the year for us as coaches and players. We know it’s going to be a sold-out crowd and we are up against a team that is on form but also plays good rugby. It will be an open game if the weather stays dry as forecast.”

After sending out a much-changed side against Portugal last weekend, Townsend has reverted to the most experienced XV available to him. The most notable inclusion is former Scotland captain Jamie Ritchie, who makes his first start of the autumn campaign at the end of a year in which he lost his status as skipper and as a regular starter.

The Edinburgh back-rower returns to the side after Glasgow’s Jack Dempsey sustained a shoulder injury against South Africa. “Jamie was involved in both our wins this year in the Six Nations (against England and Wales),” said Townsend.

“He has had to deal with no longer being captain and also deal with the increased competition in the back row, but I believe he is playing some of his best rugby at the end of the season with Edinburgh. He was showing his super strengths – he was in the top two of winning jackal turnovers in the URC.

“He is also very good aerially and that came out for Edinburgh and it’s coming out more and more in Test rugby. Over the last two or three weeks the aerial battle is now more chaotic and more important than it was leading into this tournament, so we see Jamie in both those areas as well as his skill and his experience which can help those around him.”

Townsend is delighted to be able to send out his much-vaunted back three of Blair Kinghorn at full-back and Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe on the wings for the first time since last year’s Rugby World Cup. “They have played a lot of games together,” he said. “Darcy did miss a lot of rugby with injury but he has bounced back so well over the last few weeks and at Murrayfield in particular.

“So to have the three of them together, they know each other well. They played at Edinburgh together. Blair was on terrific form coming into this season and coming into this campaign. He had to play on the wing because we picked up injuries before the South Africa game but it’s good to see him back at full-back and Darcy back in the team.”