The Australian Newspapers went to town on Sunday morning - labelling the Wallabies dramatic 9-8 abject loss to Scotland as Australian rugby's worst Test defeat in decades.

Critics lambasted the third-ranked Wallabies after they slumped 9-8 to ninth-rated Scotland, who claimed their first win over Australia in 27 years at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Rugby writers said Australian rugby had sunk to a new low as the Wallabies, under coach Robbie Deans, succumbed to their seventh international of a wretched season.

"It may be the worst Test loss by Australia since the 1973 crash to Tonga in Brisbane," the Sunday Telegraph's Jim Tucker said.

"Certainly, no Test played by the Wallabies since has been frittered away with such dominance of possession, territory and genuine chances."

The Sun-Herald's Greg Growden said it was the Wallabies' worst defeat of the professional (post-1995) era.

"The Wallabies had untold attacking opportunities to defeat a second-rate Scotland team who basically just defended and defended all night to win this game," Growden said.

"This is one of the most inexplicable moments in Australian rugby history and without doubt their worst moment of the professional era."

World Cup-winning coach Bob Dwyer said Australia's lack of technique in most aspects of the game was apparent against Scotland.

"I think we're really struggling," Dwyer said.

"I think one of our giant problems is we don't have a second row of top international class.

"We haven't got any and apart from that our attack has gone to pieces, it's poor in the extreme."

Wallaby great Tim Horan said the Australians appeared unable to finish teams off.

"I certainly think that the Wallabies have a foundation and are close to a World Cup-winning team," Horan said.

"But they just can't seem to finish teams off, that's a critical factor in a Test match going forward.

"I just think we're not backing our counter-attack as much as what we should be."

Almost halfway through a World Cup cycle ahead of the 2011 tournament in New Zealand, the Wallabies have logged 14 wins, one draw and 12 losses under New Zealand-born coach Deans.

AFP

Springbok player ratings We rate the Springbok players after the Boks' win over Italy on Saturday.

Live cricket scoring Follow the second ODI between South Africa and England LIVE from Centurion HERE...

Is our coaching adequate? In the first of his exclusive columns, Ryan Maron investigates cricket coaching in SA.