Scotland completed a rare double by beating Australia for the second time in 2017 -- but their record victory at Murrayfield owed much to a moment of madness from Sekope Kepu.
The Wallaby No. 3 was shown a red card shortly before half-time when he lowered a shoulder into the face of Hamish Watson at a ruck, and it proved a decisive turning point in a match that had been evenly contested for much of the first half.
However, Scotland pulled away in the second half, scoring eight tries in total and following up their summer tour victory in Sydney with their first home win over the Wallabies since 2009.
Reece Hodge missed the first penalty attempt in the opening three minutes, but from there Scotland dominated the opening quarter. They finally made that count on the scoreboard with a Finn Russell penalty before Byron McGuigan, making his first Test start for the Scots, scored a superb kick-ahead try on a break from halfway.
It sparked the Wallabies into life, though, and two great tries came through the Bernard Foley-Tevita Kuridrani axis. First Foley kicked a grubber through for Kuridrani to pounce on, then followed that up with a great break down the line, kicking ahead then gathering to set Kuridrani free for his second try in as many minutes.
Then came Kepu's moment of madness, as he inexplicably barged a shoulder into the face of Watson while clearing out a ruck. The referee checked via the TMO as to what the colour of card should be, but the replays showed there was little doubt it had to be a red, making Kepu the fifth Wallaby ever to be sent off in a Test match.
Scotland immediately made their numerical advantage count, with Ali Price scrambling over from close range after a lineout, and the home side led 17-12 at the break.
Surprisingly, Scotland came out sluggishly at the start of the second half and a try from Kurtley Beale silenced Murrayfield. However, the hosts responded in fine style as Sean Maitland -- in as a late replacement for Stuart Hogg, who suffered an injury in the warm-up -- charged down the left flank and in at the corner.
The Scottish attack kept on coming, and in the 50th minute they had their fourth try, Jonny Gray breaking over the line from a ruck.
Australia could not stem the flow, and Russell's improvisation at a penalty showed the confidence that was coursing through Scottish veins. It looked for all the world as though he was punting it into touch for a lineout, but he quickly tapped it, turned 180 degrees and launched a ball crossfield to Huw Jones, who then finished in fine style for his fifth try in his last five Tests.
Stephen Moore received a fine reception from the Murrayfield crowd as he was substituted midway through the second half, bringing the curtain down on a 129-cap career for the Wallabies.
There was no room for sentiment on the field, however, as Scotland kept the waves of attacks coming. McGuigan finished off an overwhelming move in the left corner for his second try of the match, and Huw Jones was almost away for another try of his own soon after, with the Wallabies defence scrambling back to cover a promising break.
There was a consolation try for Australia -- their fourth of the match -- when Lopeti Timani wriggled over in the 69th minute. But the day belonged to Scotland, captain John Barclay putting a fitting seal on victory with the team's seventh try after 13 phases of build-up play.
The Wallabies narrowly avoided conceding an eighth when Beale deliberately batted the ball out of play with McGuigan lurking. The referee went to the TMO, but decided to only award a penalty and a yellow card for Beale, rather than the penalty try that could have been given.
It was only a brief reprieve, though, as from the ensuing lineout, Scotland pushed over emphatically with Stuart McInally claiming the try. It took Scotland past the 50-point mark for the first time against Australia.
It means Scotland can reflect on their first Autumn series under new coach Gregor Townsend with pride: two wins, a fleet of tries and one breakaway short of beating the All Blacks. Cardiff, Wales and the start of the Six Nations on February 3 surely cannot come soon enough for the Scots. Australia and Michael Cheika, however, have much food for thought.