Alex Grove insists Scotland can now beat any team in the world after helping them end their 27-year losing streak to Australia in just his second Test.
Worcester centre Grove, who will be 22 a week today, has enjoyed a dream start to international rugby, with two wins from two matches. He could play another 200 and not experience one as dramatic as Saturday night’s incredible 9-8 victory at Murrayfield.
Scotland pulled off one of the greatest rearguard wins in recent Test history to beat the Wallabies for the first time in their last 17 attempts. It was also only their second success in 44 matches against one of the tri-nations teams and Grove believes the result proves anything is possible under new head coach Andy Robinson.
“We showed we’re capable of beating anyone,” said a jubilant Grove.
“Australia are a quality side and we made it very difficult for them to come and play here. It just shows, on our day, we can beat anyone in the world.”
Scotland were penned in their own half for virtually the entire 80 minutes and, despite a magnificent defensive effort, their victory owed as much to outrageous fortune as to bloody-minded defiance. Australia saw two tries disallowed – one after a highly controversial ruling from the video referee – and missed two more try-scoring opportunities before Ryan Cross finally touched down in stoppage time.
Faced with the match-winning conversion, Matt Giteau, who earlier squandered two penalties and a drop goal, missed his effort to hand Scotland the most unlikely of wins.
Acknowledging luck had played a part, Grove insisted it arrived as the result of Scotland’s hard work.
“At this level, the tiny little details are so significant,” Grove said.
“The fact they didn’t score under the posts could have been the difference between winning and losing. The wider they scored, the harder it was for them to get the conversion. With the pressure we put on them as well and the noise the crowd was making, it was really quite intimidating for him (Giteau) and he missed it.”
Grove added: “The noise at the end was deafening. When the final whistle went, it’s a feeling I’ve never experienced before on the pitch.”
Grove claimed he and his team-mates never doubted the outcome, with the triumph coming courtesy of two Phil Godman penalties and a Chris Paterson drop goal.
“There was just a belief, especially at half-time, we were going to come off the pitch winning,” Grove said.
“I know it hadn’t been done for 27 years, but you could just see it in people’s eyes.
“That kick at the end, I don’t know how many of the boys were chasing it, but it felt like all 15 were just after Giteau and it did enough to make him miss it.”