But for one curious half-hour, Scotland cruised to a 60-14 over Tonga at BT Murrayfield to launch the 2021-22 international season in dominating style.

Kyle Steyn, who made his debut in the last test with fans at BT Murrayfield 600 days ago, enjoyed his second no end with four tries. The other six were spread liberally around, with two scores for debutants Rufus McLean and one for Pierre Schoeman. Nick Haining, Oli Kebble and George Turner got the others.

A decent crowd of 32,371 fans were in the stadium. This perennial curmudgeon for once didn’t even mind the wave. It’s been miserable without them – here’s to three sellouts coming for Australia, South Africa and Japan.

Here’s four pointers from the comfortable victory against a willing but outmatched Tonga…

Sloppy seconds

Kyle Steyn's FOURTH try of the day!

📺 Watch all our @autumnnations matches live on @primevideosport pic.twitter.com/VUhQv5bB7u

— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) October 30, 2021

It looked like a live action training run in the first half, as the Scots rolled to six tries. They barely put a ball on the deck and there were just a couple of missed tackles.

The second 40 they got bogged down against a Tongan team full of fight despite the deficit. Maybe there was a tendency to look for the glory score, but there were many more knock-ons and loose passes.

The turnover in personnel might have been a factor; it was effectively the IIIs out there towards the end. But Scotland want to be a machine of interchangeable parts working with the same efficiency, and this was not it.

Relevance to the Wallabies next Sunday and the Springboks the week after is minimal – it’ll be a very different unit. But these are the next men up, and they need to sustain the excellence.

Steyn sets a marker

Congratulations to @kylesteyn who is today's @Deliveroo Player of the Match 🏆👏#AsOne pic.twitter.com/saiJMOuGVS

— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) October 30, 2021

Not just with the four tries and the man of the match award. The son of Nelson Mandela’s favourite bodyguard is a dynamic kick chaser and tackler as well as a finisher.

It was noticeable that when it was left to him to fell Glasgow team-mate Walter Fifita, the deed was done. Darcy Graham, on the other hand, was run over twice in the first half by the big Tongan wing.

Darcy has plenty of credit in the bank, and for a player of his size is rarely overwhelmed defensively. But Duhan van der Merwe will be on one wing for the Wallabies, and Steyn is at least in the conversation for the other.

Blair Kinghorn better than decent at 10

Try number 2⃣ for Rufus!

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— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) October 30, 2021

Scotland’s chief experiment was the continuing search for as many players to play at 10 as possible, and Kinghorn looked the part.

He had three big Finn-esque moments. There was the long miss pass for Rufus McLean’s second try, the cross kick for Steyn’s second try, and a delightful backhand offload out of a half-break that Sam Johnson gathered but then lost.

The kicking return from the tee was not ideal, but that didn’t really matter anyway. I still think Russell and also Adam Hastings are the obviously chief choices at 10 going forward.

But Kinghorn is still just 24 and versatility can’t hinder him. It’ll be interesting to see him move forward at 10, if only at Edinburgh just now.

The debutants

Eight new cap presentations to do, so they're doing them outside where all friends and family can all see. pic.twitter.com/aL1wRm4Kjc

— Steve Scott (@C_SScott) October 30, 2021

Eight in all. Rufus McLean was on track for the first debut hat-trick for Scotland in 97 years – since the legendary Ian Smith no less.

Sadly he didn’t get another sniff of the line after two scores in 15 minutes, leaving early with a knock.

Sione Tuipulotu showed some nice touches in attack and defence. Jamie Hodgson put himself about at second row and didn’t look out of place. Pierre Schoeman scored a try and carried well.

The replacements got blooded. The young half-backs Ross Thompson and Jamie Dobie looked sharp.

But do any of them see a game shirt next week? Just Schoeman on the bench, maybe.