It is seven years since Australia defeated Scotland. Perhaps it was that statistic that prompted a number of players to run up a big bill in a Dublin bar the weekend before Saturday's encounter at Murrayfield, the Quantity, rather than Qantas, Wallabies.

Nine points have been enough to secure victory for Scotland in the last two meetings between the sides and the last time they made it three in a row against Australia was back in 1982 in Brisbane, after which they went 27 years without success.

Scotland failed to score a point against South Africa last Sunday and their head coach, Scott Johnson, has been using the month to gauge his strength in depth, clearly regarding the Wallabies as more beatable than the Springboks, even before Australia lost six players for over-indulging, one for foul play and one to injury.

The Australia coach, Ewen McKenzie, has had to change his entire three-quarter line after taking a hard line with the players who stayed out late in Dublin, although he would have needed different centres anyway, and his disciplinarian approach contrasts with the more tolerant regime of his predecessor, Robbie Deans.

"We are not going to use the circumstances of the week as an excuse against Scotland," said McKenzie. "It will be one of our greatest challenges given that we have made a bunch of changes and it will be a test of character for everyone, including the coaches; it is an important moment. We are in a bit of a hole but we will solve it as a group."

Australia have rallied after starting the month with a tame defeat at Twickenham. Their running game proved too much for Italy and Ireland, and Scotland will look to slow them down on a cold November evening. The Springboks were content to feed off the several mistakes their hosts made and more sloppiness will cost Johnson's men.

"Sunday was not all bad," said Johnson. "There was some poor execution but there was good ticker. We showed great strength and resolve. What this month is about is increasing competition for places: I want to make it hard for players to get into the team and it is about how they make the step up. When the tide goes out, we will see who is swimming naked."

There are five survivors in each side from their last encounter in soggy Newcastle Down Under. Greig Laidlaw, who kicked the winning penalty that day, was at fly-half then in a match controlled by the South Africa referee Jaco Peyper, who is in charge on Saturday.

The Scotland second-row Jim Hamilton will be winning his 50th cap and he was one of the players singled out by Johnson after the defeat to South Africa, praised for his abrasiveness and combativeness but his boilerhouse partner last Sunday, Richie Gray, a player who not so long ago was regarded as their one world-class player, is not even on the bench with the headcoach looking for players prepared to get their hands dirty.

If Scotland kick as poorly as they did against the Springboks, Israel Folau will very probably add to his tally of eight tries this year. The one member of the back division who was born in Australia, the full-back has provided torchlight in what has been a dark year for the Wallabies.

If Johnson wants his players to demonstrate character,, although skill would come in handy, McKenzie needs his to show more restraint off the field and put the collective before the individual. Australia should win, even with depleted firepower, but celebrations will be muted with demons still to be conquered.