Barclay: Wallabies won't catch Scots flat-footed like Wales

By Associated Press 10 November 2016, 12:00AM

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) — Scotland flanker John Barclay says it's key against Australia at Murrayfield on Saturday that they hit the ground running, and very quickly.

The biggest lesson to take from the Wallabies' tour-opening 32-8 humiliation of Wales last weekend was the Australians playing with pace and intelligence.

Australia had the benefit of being match-fit from the Rugby Championship, while Wales was caught flat-footed in its first run in more than four months.

"It's important we don't fall into that trap as well," Barclay said on Wednesday.

"One of the main differences is the speed everything happens at. Wales have had a great defense in recent years, but Australia played a lot of options inside and outside. It all came off for them.

"They attack slightly differently, they have a lot of trail plays, a lot of movement, a lot of multiple option plays, where defenders around the ball have all got to be doing the right job, not just the guy in front of the ball.

"So, yeah, they present a unique challenge, but I believe defense is relatively straight forward."

Scotland most recently beat the Wallabies in 2012, and Barclay figured in Scotland's only two wins over them in the last 30-plus years.

He plays club rugby for Welsh side Scarlets, which included a few of the Wales test side. He exchanged messages with some of them after a match in which the scoreline flattered Wales.

"They were bitterly disappointed, so you don't want to pry too deep," Barclay said. "But you can see a lot from the video where they went wrong."

Scotland and Australia name their teams on Thursday.

By Associated Press 10 November 2016, 12:00AM

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