In what has been a long month - involving some 45 players, two separate squads and no few logistical headaches - Scotland's season of change will end at the final whistle of Saturday's second Test against the Wallabies.

It could end on a high, with Scotland recording their first victory over Australia in 12 years; most probably it will not, but head coach Matt Williams is more than happy with the strides made in the four weeks since they left home.

Many of those results will not be evident until further down the line. But Saturday's line-up indicates that Williams - whatever criticisms are thrown at him - has uncovered a few players with big international futures.

"This tour has been a great success for us. We have done it in two different ways. We brought young guys out on the development trip, and a number of them have stepped up to the plate,'' said Williams.

"The other part was to take the Test team another step up the ladder, and they have already done that.''

Scrum-half Chris Cusiter, praised by Australia captain George Gregan, was the first as Williams plucked him from nowhere for the RBS 6 Nations - and he has been followed into the side by Hugo Southwell and Sean Lamont, while the injured Tom Philip remains a promising prospect and Graeme Morrison has accelerated on to the fringes of the side.

Up front, Newcastle lock Craig Hamilton is in the Test squad for the first time - and Donnie MacFadyen has impressed on the openside flank.

"We are a young backline, a very young team. From the team that started against the Wallabies in the World Cup, there are only about five survivors,'' said Williams.

"Hugo Southwell had a great game last week; Sean Lamont has played very, very well.

Donnie MacFadyen has really stepped up - Dan Parks, Chris Cusiter, Ally Hogg. That is what we want.''

Williams talks of how the tour has enabled the real characters of the squad to come to the fore, which makes all the players feel comfortable and inspires a unity that was evident in the fracas during the first Test last Sunday.

"You see somebody in a bit of trouble and you have got to help your teammate out, no matter what it is,'' said Hogg.

"We are on that pitch for each other; you are playing for your country and you do what it takes to win for your country.''

Whether they can manage it tomorrow is a different question, with the Wallabies having shaken the rust which affected their quality last week.

Stirling Mortlock and Phil Waugh are back in the side, and Williams expects an improved performance from the World Cup finalists.

"I think they will be harder opposition. The first fixture for an international team each season is difficult because you haven't got any cohesion together in terms of time on the field. The Wallabies will benefit from last week's game,'' he said.

"Stirling Mortlock coming back - he's one of the best centres in the world - will be a big boost for them. Phil Waugh has got plenty to prove, fighting for that back-row position with George Smith.

"On the converse side, I think we'll be a much better team. The pace the Wallabies play at took us some time to adapt to. But we got a fair bit of self-confidence out of the performance.

"We will try and win; we were very disappointed we didn't put more pressure on the Wallabies and get closer to winning last week, because it was there for us to do.''

The problem was composure on the ball and missed tackles, with Scotland missing 22 in the game despite what was in general a courageous display.

The game will mark the departures of assistant coach Todd Blackadder, who returns to Edinburgh, and specialist kicking coach Mick Byrne who has helped increase the goal-kicking accuracy from 56% to 83%.