Rugby:Scotland head coach Andy Robinson is convinced that, whatever the elements throw at tomorrow's Test match against Australia, the real battleground will be the breakdown.

The Australian city of Newcastle is forecast to experience a storm before tomorrow’s game — an encounter in which the tourists will be looking to avoid an eighth straight defeat. Robinson believes the Scots’ chances depend almost entirely on their ability to stop Australia flanker and new captain David Pocock, and then put pressure on Wallaby scrumhalf Will Genia.

“We need to create a bit of mayhem there,” he said as the final preparations for the game went ahead in calm and sunshine. “We have to be really accurate inside our half, accurate defensively and accurate when we have got the ball. That means not getting turned over in our half — something that we did not do well in the Six Nations, where we turned a lot of ball over when we were carrying it. If we can do that, it puts us in a good position to put pressure on Australia.

“We have to contest the breakdown, that is why we are playing John Barclay at number eight. We have to put Australia under huge pressure in that area, we want to have a go at them, put pressure on Genia and slow Australia ball down. The only way to do that was playing Barclay and Ross Rennie together, who I think are our best two players over the ball.

“Obviously it is vital that Richie Gray and Ross Ford step up to the mark and carry the ball a lot. Ryan Grant is a good carrier too, a good footballer and we can bring Sean Lamont in off the wing while Matt Scott and Joe Ansbro can carry as well. We have got the carriers but they have to put a good shift in.”