Scotland vs. Australia: Nations Championship Kickoff, Squads and Stakes — November 12, 2026

Verified November 12, 2026 at 15:13 UTC.

Scotland will host Australia at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Sunday, November 15, 2026, with kickoff confirmed for 3:10 p.m. Edinburgh time (GMT, UTC+00:00), equivalent to 15:10 UTC. It is a Round 5 meeting in the inaugural Nations Championship, and both teams head into it seeking to recover from narrow or emphatic defeats in the first November round: Scotland fell 23-21 to New Zealand, while Australia lost 45-22 to England.

As of this check on November 12, the official World Rugby match center lists the fixture and officials but does not display a complete confirmed matchday lineup or a final score. The match has not yet taken place. Coaches' wider touring and home-series squads should not be confused with the final starting 15s, which remain subject to official announcement.

Highlights

• Fixture: Scotland vs. Australia, Sunday, November 15, at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
• Kickoff: 3:10 p.m. GMT (UTC+00:00), or 15:10 UTC; 10:10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (UTC−05:00) in the United States and 2:10 a.m. AEDT (UTC+11:00) on Monday, November 16 in Sydney.
• Form: Scotland lost 23-21 to New Zealand and Australia lost 45-22 to England in Round 4.
• Team news: Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu leads the announced home-series squad; the Wallabies' tour group includes Kurtley Beale. Final selections still require verification.

When is Scotland vs. Australia and where is it being played?

The match is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, 2026, at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland. Scottish Rugby's fixture listing and the government-run Traffic Scotland event notice both give a 3:10 p.m. kickoff. The United Kingdom has returned to Greenwich Mean Time by this date, so Edinburgh's GMT offset is UTC+00:00. For readers in eastern Australia, the kickoff occurs after midnight on Monday, November 16: 2:10 a.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time in Sydney and Melbourne (UTC+11:00). Australia's other time zones differ, so this should not be treated as a single nationwide broadcast time.

The official match center names New Zealand's James Doleman as referee, with Paul Williams and Angus Mabey as assistant referees, Andrew Jackson as television match official, and Matteo Liperini as foul-play review officer. These appointments appear on World Rugby’s Scotland–Australia match page.

What is the latest Scotland and Australia team news?

Gregor Townsend's Scotland squad for the November home fixtures was announced on October 26, with Glasgow Warriors center Sione Tuipulotu again selected as captain of a 37-player group. Huw Jones, Rory Hutchinson, Ollie Smith and Stafford McDowall were among the midfield options, and Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham, Kyle Steyn, Duhan van der Merwe and Kyle Rowe were named among the back-three possibilities. These are squad selections rather than confirmation that each player will face Australia. The full original announcement is on Scottish Rugby’s squad news page.

On the Australian side, Rugby Australia confirmed changes to its spring touring group on October 28. Experienced utility back Kurtley Beale, James Ramm and Kalani Thomas were added, while Hunter Paisami was unavailable for personal reasons. An earlier tour squad announcement also included forwards Taniela Tupou and Tom Hooper. The national union's tour squad update is the source for these changes. It would be premature to present the broader touring party as the starting lineup.

Official starting teams and replacements should be checked on the respective unions' team-news pages and World Rugby's fixture center closer to kickoff. No unverified injury call, tactical selection or projected lineup is being reported as a fact here.

How have Scotland and the Wallabies performed in the 2026 Nations Championship?

Scotland's July series began with a 47-38 win against Argentina in Córdoba, followed by a 42-28 loss to South Africa in Pretoria and a 33-17 victory over Fiji at Murrayfield. In November, Scotland came close against New Zealand but lost 23-21. Australia had a difficult start, losing 33-31 to Ireland and 42-26 to France, before beating Italy 57-10. The Wallabies then opened the northern portion of the schedule with a 45-22 defeat to England at Twickenham. These published scores are compiled in Rugby Australia’s official 2026 fixture and results list.

Scotland also have a recent positive memory against the Wallabies at Murrayfield. Their last meeting there, in November 2024, ended in a 27-13 Scottish win, with tries from Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe and Finn Russell, according to Scottish Rugby’s competition preview. Past results provide context, not a reliable prediction of the next result.

Why does this Round 5 match matter for the Nations Championship standings?

The Nations Championship brings together 12 teams split into northern and southern hemisphere groups. Each side plays six cross-hemisphere pool-stage matches, with three rounds in July and three in November. The teams' final positions in their respective hemisphere standings determine who faces whom in the late-November finals weekend at Twickenham. First place in each hemisphere meets to decide the championship, while the other positions are also paired across the two tables.

The result in Edinburgh will therefore influence both sides' finishing positions and their eventual finals-weekend opponents. The exact impact will depend on all Round 5 and Round 6 results and competition points, so it is not possible to claim a particular finals matchup or qualification outcome from this fixture alone. The framework was outlined in Rugby Australia’s tournament launch explanation.

What should fans watch for on matchday?

The most important tactical questions are whether Scotland can create enough attacking opportunities while remaining disciplined at the breakdown, and whether Australia can limit the turnovers and defensive openings that hurt them against England. Scotland's home advantage and Australia's need to respond after a heavy defeat form part of the sporting backdrop, but neither establishes a likely winner. Selections, weather and the first few set pieces will provide better evidence once matchday arrives.

Fans attending Murrayfield should expect busy roads around Edinburgh, especially the M8, M9, M90 and city bypass. Traffic Scotland advises using public transportation, walking or cycling where practical, and warns that parking close to the stadium will be limited; see its official matchday travel notice. In Australia, Rugby Australia says its Nations Championship matches are available live and on demand through Stan Sport; broadcasting rights elsewhere should be confirmed with local listings.

What happens after Scotland vs. Australia?

Scotland are due to host Japan on Saturday, November 21, while Australia travel to face Wales the same weekend. The competition then moves to its November 27–29 finals in London, where the northern and southern hemisphere finishing positions set the pairings. Until the Edinburgh match is complete, there is no final score or verified postmatch reaction to report. This article will require a fresh official result check after full time.

FAQ

What time does Scotland vs. Australia start?

Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 3:10 p.m. in Edinburgh, GMT (UTC+00:00), the same as 15:10 UTC.

Have Scotland and Australia named their starting lineups?

Not in the official match-page information verified for this report on November 12. Previously announced wider squads are available, but confirmed matchday starting 15s and replacements must be checked separately.

Who won Scotland vs. Australia in 2026?

No result is available as of this pre-match check. The fixture is scheduled for November 15, 2026.