All the Wallabies interviewed coming off the field mentioned discipline as an area of concern, which seems standard practice, and Georgia’s bright spells were nearly always the result of Australia losing control of the breakdown. The concession of 29 points will sting with the Australian brains trust knowing they’re unlikely to put 40 past the Springboks in a couple of weeks.

There was also the 20-minute red card handed to Daugunu for his poorly timed attempted smother that turned into a knee to the face of Todua to demonstrate how quickly fortunes can change at this level.

For the Wallabies – a win’s a win. For a forward pack under scrutiny against a tough Georgian unit it was an excellent afternoon. Four scrum victories (two against the feed) were complemented by a lineout that was dangerous all over the park. McReight, Valetini, Wilson, and Frost were all prominent and took the intiative whenever there was an opening.

Behind them the centre partnership of Paisami and Ikitau showed its class and McDermott was superb, especially in the first-half, supplying quick ball and taking the game on with some incisive running. The same cannot be said about his partner in the halves, Donaldson, who was frequently caught in possession and kicked poorly.

After such a high-scoring chaotic match there’s a lot to pick through.

Starting with Georgia, it’s clear they deserve their place at the upper echelon of Test rugby and are worthy of as much exposure as possible to facilitate their development. Tabutsandze’s extraordinary 100m try to bring the visitors within two points must rank as one of the most incredible moments in Georgian rugby history, but there was an inability to grind through the following five to ten minutes and repeat penalties eventually cost them dearly.

78 mins: The kick to the right touchline sets up a 10m attacking lineout. The maul forms and rumbles to 5m. Australia steady, forcing Georgia to spread the ball infield. Two white jerseys smash into the line at speed. Quick ball invites Georgia to stream to the left at pace. The opportunity presents itself but Matkava can’t execute the offload as Lancaster nails an excellent tackle and Wright is gifted an interception.

76 mins: Lolesio misses his kick for touch! Georgia try to run the ball back but can’t find any open field and get bogged down at repeat breakdowns. There’s an advantage on the play though and the visitors will get one final opportunity.

75 mins: The Wallabies win their third scrum of the day – this time off a Georgian feed as the front row collapses under the referee’s nose.

74 mins: Australia are soon back into their work through the impressive Wilson, but again their’s a penalty to Georgia in contact who get manage to get four resolute tacklers around the ball-carrier and deny ball movement.

72 mins: Donaldson makes a half-break with a nice dummy then Wilson hits the line hard. White is careful at the breakdown, piecing the Wallabies downfield on the left. Frost shows good hands again as momentum starts to build but Donaldson gets caught isolate infield and he’s bullied on the ground as Georgia force the turnover.

67 mins: As replacements flood the field Australia win just the second scrum of the match. The attack off the back to the left is sharp and Ikitau almost frees Lancaster. Play heads back infield and some incredible skill form Frost turns slow ball into a dangerous attack. Wright tries to keep it going near the right touchline but his audacious flick is too much for Paisami.

62 mins: It’s still a nine-point game as Georgia grind through a couple of phases knowing they have another minute with a man disadvantage. The box kick is claimed by Wright but the Wallabies can’t get any go-forward and McDermott is forced to kick in return. The visitors are slow to get bodies to the resulting breakdown and Frost is too big and too strong and he forces the turnover.

60 mins: This time the maul forms. This time there’s a shunt. This time the momentum is irresistible and there’s another forward pack collective try that goes to… McReight! It could have gone to Alaalatoa, it could have gone to Nasser, but in the end McReight pinches the honours.

But there’s a delay awarding the score while the TMO studies the formation of the maul. From the lineout it appears Valetini got on the wrong side a fraction too soon and there’s an obstruction. No try.

59 mins: The kick to the right corner sets up a 5m lineout but the maul is collapsed before the Wallabies can get a shunt forward. We’re back in the same place soon afterwards though with Georgia penalised yet again.

57 mins: It’s the Wallabies now with the man advantage and the momentum in the contest has swung dramatically. There’s another penalty advantage on the play for Australia and it doesn’t take long for the whistle to blow and Georgia receive a stern ticking off for their discipline.

54 mins: 14 v 14 and Australia take the quick penalty and pick-and-go for the line. They’re over – Ikitau – but somehow Matkava wrestles the ball free as the Australian tries to spin down.

52 mins: The Wallabies breathe a sigh of relief with an offside penalty near halfway as Georgia step up their intensity, streaming off the line to line up some big hits. Donaldson, who has struggled this afternoon, is caught a couple of times before Australia accept the referee’s whistle.

51 mins: Georgia have busted this game wide open since half-time, taking full advantage of their extra man.

46 mins: Just as with the first half, another sharp Australian attack ends with a spillage. McDermott turned stodgy ball into something dangerous with a couple of quick steps, but with Donaldson on his shoulder the pass goes to ground.

41 mins: Australia get us back under way in Sydney.

Here’s the set-piece try just before the break. Excellent work from Australia’s pack.

Elsewhere in the world of international rugby the All Blacks hammered Fiji in San Diego to continue their winning start under Scott Robertson.

37 mins: Matkava misses the long range penalty. Australia clear their lines and Lancaster capitalises on some poor Georgian defence to run the Wallabies into attacking territory. The 14-men take their time, setting up a long slow series of phases, grinding their way towards the line, enjoying a long penalty advantage on the play. Eventually the ball goes to ground, the penalty is awarded and McDermott kicks to the left corner.

33 mins: Another butchered try! This time from the foundation under the posts the ball comes to the right but Tabutsandze spills with a try at his mercy. But again there’s a penalty to Georgia. Australia are at risk of conceding a yellow card with all these repeat infractions.

32 mins: Georgia make the most of a poor throw but are unable to form a maul. A series of pick-and-gos inch the ball towards the Australian line and after five phases there’s a penalty advantage. Liberated, the visitors cut to the left, go through hands, exploit a two-man overlap and jog over into the left corner! But no! Unforgivably there’s a forward pass on the play and play returns to the penalty advantage.

31 mins: Another breakdown penalty goes against the Wallabies, who are starting to rack up errors on the ground. Georgia again kick long to the left.

29 mins: For the second or third time today Australia almost work their way through the Georgian defence with short passes only to spill the ball on the cusp of the breakthrough. Kailea was the guilty party on this occasion, but it augurs well for the future.

A soft breakdown penalty in midfield invites Georgia to kick to the 22 on the left. The lineout is sharp and Tapladze hits the ball on the burst to set up good attacking field position. McReight is industrious on the ground though and wins a vital turnover. Lots of backslapping and high-fiving for that effort.

27 mins: Georgia win their 5m lineout and set up to maul their way over the line. Australia’s counter is good though – an area that was under heavy scrutiny following the double-header against Wales – and momentum is soon over. A couple of plays later and the Wallabies have the breakdown turnover. Excellent defence from the home side.

24 mins: Georgia finally demonstrate their forward power, winning their first lineout throw then milking a penalty with a rolling maul. With the advantage the visitors enjoy their first multi-phase play of the afternoon. Another advantage for a high tackle extends the pressure, but as the attack splinters to the left play is called back to the right to allow the visitors to kick to the corner.

22 mins: Another excellent lineout from the Wallabies allows Valetini and Paisami to connect. Lancaster accepts the ball on the left touchline as the move reaches halfway, and he does well to stay in touch. All the while McDermott is busy keeping the game moving at speed – but there’s a knock-on near halfway and the move breaks down.

18 mins: The Wallabies win their first lineout ball of the afternoon but the set play off the back is sloppy. Georgia soon kick possession back to Australia, and gift an offside penalty just on halfway. The visitors are already struggling with the speed of McDermott around the breakdown and his willingness to take the game on at all costs.

16 mins: Australia win the breakdown penalty on halfway, demonstrating the ability of the Wallabies forwards to neutralise the powerful Georgian pack. McDermott continues his vibrant start, taking the quick tap and chipping into space. Wright chases hard and lays an excellent tackle but Georgia do just enough to hold their ground and Matkava kicks clear.

10 mins: Another poor field kick from Donaldson stymies a good Australian attacking platform. Still, Georgia are forced into a drop-out under their posts that the Wallabies quickly turn over. Not for long though with a Georgian kick smothered allowing the home side to go through hands to the right wing. Valetini is busy again hitting the defensive line and popping up an inside ball but as play spreads to the left Daugunu throws a horrible ball that Lancaster can’t deal with.

8 mins: More good signs for the Wallabies and McDermott in particular, encouraging his backs to get into the game and run the big Georgian pack around the field. Ikitau and Paisami are again the dangermen as the Wallabies earn a breakdown penalty.

5 mins: Sloppy free-kick concession from Georgia with Alania pinged after failing to take action despite being given an age to play the ball behind the stationary ruck. Australia with the attacking scrum feed.

2 mins: Not a great start for the Wallabies. A couple of slow plays inside their own 22 go nowhere before Donaldson stabs an ugly kick that does goes nowhere. Georgia run straight back with intent and win a quick breakdown penalty off Tapladze’s carry.

As the camera pans along the Georgian players belting out their national anthem, you realise none of the visiting team skipped neck day. Australia did the classic put-the-scrumhalf-next-to-the-second-rower gag, making the camera operator jolt up and down like they were on a rollercoaster.

Out march the two sets of players into a blustery, half-full Allianz Stadium. With watery winter sunshine leaking onto a ropey-looking surface this feels like an old fashioned afternoon of footy, not the floodlit made-for-TV blockbusters we’ve become accustomed to.

The two sides are now lined up in the tunnel. The Wallabies in gold jerseys and green shorts, Georgia all in white.

The teams are just making the final touches to their uniforms in the sheds. Our advertised start time of 3:45pm looks to be out by at least 10 minutes.

It is blowing a mighty gale in Sydney this afternoon, which will make for treacherous kicking and handling conditions. It is dry though, and the temperature is comparatively mild considering how frigid it is further south along Australia’s eastern seaboard.

Georgia are coached by former England hooker Richard Cockerill. He’s no mug either, with Premiership success in his homeland with Leicester, and plenty of experience on the international scene.

“We’re happy where we are at,” he told the host broadcaster. “We’ll see how good we are today.

“We want to make sure we get our game right. We knew Australia were going to make lots of changes. We are focused on our game. We know we have to be physical, very good defensively, but we have come here to put our best game on the field and we have come here to win.”

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has made wholesale changes to his team for the rugby Test against Georgia in Sydney on Saturday. Veteran prop Allan Alaalatoa will become the third captain in three weeks, starting in the front-row alongside rookies Isaac Kailea and Billy Pollard.

The trio are among 10 changes to the starting side as Schmidt rotates his squad after the tough 2-0 series sweep over Wales. Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Hunter Paisami, Filipo Daugunu and Tom Wright are the only remaining faces in the starting 15 from last week’s second Test win against Wales.

Joe Schmidt took on the Wallabies job aware of the monumental challenge that awaited him but back-to-back victories over Wales ensured a case of so far so good. A back-to-basics approach, focusing on the fundamentals, is in keeping with Schmidt’s style and while there is a long way to go before the Wallabies are anywhere near to dining at the top table again, there are grounds for optimism with the New Zealander at the helm. At the very least he gives the impression of the Wallabies having a grown up in charge after endless Eddie Jones tantrums and, in Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Schmidt has a second-row around whom he can build a formidable pack. Hunter Paisami, Filipo Daugunu and Tom Wright all performed impressively in the backs, too.

Pragmatic, accurate, efficient. Those aren’t necessarily traits that compel youngsters to turn their backs on other football codes, but they are traits that win Test matches. And, for so long, these are traits that have been absent from the Wallabies as they sunk to previously unimaginable lows. Two wins on the bounce for the first time in three years and a series victory against a team that spanked them 40-6 at the World Cup 10 months ago points to progress.