You always want to play well for your granny too...

Sione Tuipulotu has talked often about how big an influence his Greenock-born grandmother has had on his life.

So he and brother Mosese were absolutely delighted by a surprise visit from Jaqueline Thomson this week.

She watched Mosese in last night's 'A' 19-17 win over Chile and will be cheering on again this afternoon.

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Sione Tuipulotu captains Scotland against the nation of his birth.

The powerful Glasgow centre represented the Wallabies at under-20 level but left his homeland in 2018 to play in Japan.

Tuipulotu admits to some past resentment because "I felt my talent really wasn't looked after in Australia" but is more than happy with the way things have worked out, saying: "I feel like I am where I'm supposed to be."

He went on to add: "You always want to play a lot harder against your mates, and I have a lot of mates in that Wallabies team, but I'm sure it's the same for them."

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There was a huge 53-24 win for Scotland in 2017 but that is very much an outlier in recent contests.

Going back to Scotland's heartbreaking 35-34 loss at the 2015 World Cup, five of the last six have been settled by a margin of five points or less - with three of those being single-point games.

Australia have won all of those single-pointers by the way...

Australia eked out a 16-15 win on their last visit to Edinburgh two years ago.

Scotland led 15-6 and scored two tries to the Aussie's one that day, while Blair Kinghorn could not land a last-gasp penalty.

The previous year, it finished 15-13 to Scotland at Murrayfield, with hooker Ewan Ashman making a try-scoring debut.

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"If we win, it will give us a massive boost going into the Six Nations because we’re playing a quality side," said Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend the other day.

"It'll be frustrating if we don't deliver a performance that we've been working towards, if we don't at least match that performance of South Africa, in how we played that night."

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

In his time in Ireland, Joe Schmidt became something of a slayer of the Scots. As Leinster coach, he won 75% of his games against Glasgow and Edinburgh. At Test level, he won seven out of eight against Scotland.

Schmidt inherited a shambles this year, then stumbled his way through the Rugby Championship, finishing bottom. In playing such mesmeric rugby in victory over England and then putting up a record score against an admittedly lamentable Wales, Schmidt's magic seems to be working earlier than anybody thought it would.

"These are games that we have to start winning if we really want to be taken seriously," said Scotland centre Huw Jones this week.

"It's all well and good beating Fiji and Portugal and then winning our games on the summer tour, but we want to take strides.

"The South Africa game was disappointing but we've got to nail it this weekend against Australia."

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Australia head coach Joe Schmidt was in love-bombing mode ahead of the game, saying this will be the strongest Scotland side he's ever taken on.

"Scotland play a fantastic brand of rugby," he said. "They're quick. During the World Cup, outside of the All Blacks, they played with more width than any other team. So you've got to be good across the field."

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Jamie Ritchie got the nod over Josh Bayliss and Edinburgh team-mate Luke Crosbie, with head coach Gregor Townsend explaining his experience and aerial prowess were factors.

"Over the last two or three weeks the aerial battle is now more chaotic and more important than it was leading into this tournament," said Townsend, referencing recent law changes on high-ball contests.

The wind is expected to be touching 20mph during the game, which will only add to the fun.

Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has made seven changes from the 52-2-0 win over Wales - a couple of those coming late.

Harry Potter debuts on the left wing at Murrayfield, while captain Harry Wilson returns at number eight.

Carlo Tizzano also returns in the back row, Will Skelton in the second row.

Rugby League convert Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is selected in the centres after a magnificent debut in the win over England and Jake Gordon is recalled at scrum-half.

Matt Faessler scored a hat-trick in Cardiff but has not shaken off a calf problem, so Brandon Paenga-Amosa takes over at hooker.

Jeremy Williams has taken ill and is replaced by Lukhan Salakaia-Loto

Samu Kerevi is suspended after his red card against Wales.

Australia: Wright, Kellaway, Suaalii, Ikitau, Potter, Lolesio, Gordon; Bell, Paenga-Amosa, Alaalatoa, Salakaia-Loto, Skelton, Valetini, Tizzano, Wilson.

Replacements: Pollard, Kailea, Nonggorr, Frost, Gleeson, McDermott, Donaldson, Jorgensen.

Former captain Jamie Ritchie is back in the Scotland team following an injury to Jack Dempsey.

Matt Fagerson switches from 6 to 8 on the occasion of his 50th cap.

Darcy Graham is on the right wing after his try-scoring return from concussion against Portugal, with Blair Kinghorn taking the number 15 shirt.

Tom Jordan, the breakthrough star of this series, is a bit unlucky to find himself among the replacements.

Scotland: Kinghorn Graham, Jones, S Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe, Russell, White; Schoeman, Ashman, Fagerson, Gilchrist, Cummings, Ritchie, Darge, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Richardson, Sutherland, Hurd, Craig, Bayliss, Horne, Jordan, Rowe.

The Aussies are at Murrayfield, looking to build on wins over England and Wales.

Scotland have seen off Fiji and Portugal after losing to South Africa and really need to sign off from this autumn series on a positive note.

Meetings have been close in recent years and this one should be another cracker.

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