Scotland host Australia at Murrayfield on Sunday in the final match of Round 5 of the Nations Championship, with both sides looking to bounce back from defeats last weekend.
Scotland went down 43–21 to New Zealand in Edinburgh, although the final scoreline was somewhat harsh on the Scots, who gave the All Blacks a tremendous contest before falling away in the closing stages.
Australia were comprehensively beaten 45–22 by England at Twickenham, and they will be looking for a much-improved performance against a Scottish team that has enjoyed considerable success against the Wallabies in recent years.
The bookmakers have installed Scotland as narrow favourites, and this looks one of the more competitive matches of the weekend.
Match: Scotland v Australia
Competition: Nations Championship, Round 5
Venue: Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Date: Sunday 15 November 2026
Kick-off: 17:10 South African time
Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Angus Mabey (New Zealand)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
Weather Forecast: The early forecast suggests a cold afternoon in Edinburgh, with temperatures around 5°C at kick-off. Cloudy conditions are expected, with a relatively low chance of rain and light winds. However, the weather could change considerably before Sunday.
Hourly weather forecast – Edinburgh
Scotland
Scotland currently occupy fourth place in the Northern Hemisphere standings with 11 points from four matches, having won two and lost two.
They made an excellent start to their Nations Championship campaign, recording an impressive 47–38 victory over Argentina in Córdoba.
However, they were unable to build on that result, losing 42–28 to South Africa in Pretoria the following weekend.
Scotland completed their July fixtures with a 33–17 victory over Fiji, leaving them well placed in the Northern Hemisphere standings heading into the November internationals.
They returned to action last Saturday against New Zealand at Murrayfield, where they produced a spirited performance before eventually going down 43–21.
From a betting perspective, New Zealand covered the early -8.5 handicap, although the Scots were much more competitive than the eventual 22-point margin suggests.
Gregor Townsend's side have scored 129 points in their four Nations Championship matches, averaging just over 32 points per game.
However, they have also conceded 140 points, leaving them with a points difference of -11.
Scotland remain in contention for a strong Northern Hemisphere finish, although they will need to win their remaining two matches and hope that results elsewhere go their way if they are to challenge the leading teams.
Nations Championship Results and Fixtures:
Round 1: Argentina (a) WON 47–38
Round 2: South Africa (a) LOST 28–42
Round 3: Fiji (a) WON 33–17
Round 4: New Zealand (h) LOST 21–43
Round 5: Australia (h) – 15 November
Round 6: Japan (h) – 21 November
Australia
Australia have had a disappointing Nations Championship campaign and currently occupy third place in the Southern Hemisphere standings with eight points from four matches.
They opened the competition with a narrow 33–31 defeat to Ireland before going down 42–26 to France.
The Wallabies finally registered their first victory in Round 3, thrashing Italy 57–10 in Perth.
They returned to Nations Championship action last Sunday against England at Twickenham, where there had been considerable support for Australia in the betting markets.
The Wallabies were receiving a start of around 8.5 points by kick-off, but they were comprehensively outplayed, eventually losing 45–22.
England dominated proceedings for long periods, and Australia never really looked capable of causing an upset.
It was a disappointing performance from a team that had enjoyed a successful period between the July and November Nations Championship fixtures.
Australia recorded an impressive 42–38 victory over South Africa during that period, although they subsequently suffered two defeats against New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup.
They also enjoyed success against Argentina, but consistency remains a concern.
Les Kiss has plenty of attacking talent available, and the Wallabies have scored 136 points in their four Nations Championship matches.
However, they have also conceded 130 points, and their defensive performance against England will be a concern ahead of the trip to Edinburgh.
Australia will be particularly keen to improve their physicality and defensive organisation, as Scotland have the attacking ability to punish any weaknesses.
The Wallabies have struggled against Scotland in recent years, losing four of the last five meetings, including a 27–13 defeat at Murrayfield in November 2024.
They finish their Nations Championship campaign against Wales in Cardiff the following weekend.
Nations Championship Results and Fixtures:
Round 1: Ireland (h) LOST 31–33
Round 2: France (h) LOST 26–42
Round 3: Italy (h) WON 57–10
Round 4: England (a) LOST 22–45
Round 5: Scotland (a) – 15 November
Round 6: Wales (a) – 21 November
Recent Head to Head
November 2024 – Edinburgh – SCOTLAND 27–13 Australia
October 2022 – Edinburgh – Scotland 15–16 AUSTRALIA
November 2021 – Edinburgh – SCOTLAND 15–13 Australia
November 2017 – Edinburgh – SCOTLAND 53–24 Australia
June 2017 – Sydney – Australia 19–24 SCOTLAND
Scotland have won four of the last five meetings between the countries, including three of the last four encounters at Murrayfield.
Their most recent meeting came in November 2024, when Scotland recorded an impressive 27–13 victory in Edinburgh.
Australia's only victory in the last five encounters came in October 2022, when they edged Scotland 16–15 in a closely contested match.
The Scots have enjoyed considerable success against the Wallabies in recent years, although several of those matches have been decided by narrow margins.
Team News
Scotland
Gregor Townsend will be assessing his squad following the physical encounter with New Zealand.
Starting XV: To follow.
Replacements: To follow.
Australia
Les Kiss may consider changes following the disappointing defeat to England.
Starting XV: To follow.
Replacements: To follow.
The Betting
Betting as at 09 November 2026
Scotland -5.5 points at 1.87
Australia +5.5 points at 1.93
Betting Angle
To follow.
Follow our Nations Championship Round 5 betting blog for betting-related news and tips throughout the week.
See what other punters fancy and have your say in the Nations Championship Round 5 discussion thread.
Disclaimer: Betting odds and handicaps are correct at the time of writing but may change. Punters should check the latest prices, team news, weather conditions and relevant form before placing their bets.
