Australia's players have picked a risky theme for their end-of-tour party tonight. After last week's Twickenham non-event and the second test defeat in Argentina which preceded it, a Wallaby squad in silly hats will only aggravate the mood back home should Scotland prevail at Murrayfield this afternoon. The dunce's cap awaits coach Rod Macqueen, amongst others.

The reality, though, on this potentially dark sporting weekend for the northern hemisphere, is that Scottish rugby requires a new identity even more urgently. It is 15 years since the Scots have beaten either Australia, New Zealand or South Africa and a side containing four new caps also has to defy an autumn record worse than Ken and Barbie's.

There are only four men in the same positions compared with the side who lost 29-12 to the Wallabies a year ago and their three forward Lions - Rob Wainwright, Doddie Weir and Tom Smith - are all injured. Four new caps, plus full-back Duncan Hodge, whose test experience amounts to 26 minutes, have been selected, yet a whiff of fresh resolve is at least detectable in the malty Edinburgh air.

Some of this has to do with the introduction of young wing James Craig, 30 years to the day since his soccer-playing father Jim, one of Celtic's Lisbon Lions, made his solitary appearance for Scotland. Reputedly the fastest winger in Britain, it would be an obvious crime not to use him and new captain Andy Nicol knows it.

"Sometimes the build-up to our autumn internationals has tended to be a bit low-key. We've tried to get the atmosphere up and it's been a good week so far, but you don't win rugby matches without the ball."

Gregor Townsend, determined to stay at number 10, is another with reason to demand a fired-up performance from a new-look pack, who broke with tradition by training on the normally sacrosanct turf at Murrayfield on Thursday. So too will the BBC's Children in Need Appeal. Scotland's sponsors Famous Grouse have promised to donate 500 per home try, doubtless relieved they don't sponsor the All Blacks.

John Eales, hopelessly off target in the 15-15 draw at Twickenham, will again be his unchanged side's first-choice goal-kicker as Australia seek their seventh successive win over the Scots since 1982. In search of the old gold magic, Macqueen even summoned one of his predecessors, Bob Dwyer, to training this week to help identify a few home truths. After two bad weekends, not even these Wallabies fancy a hat-trick.