At 20-0 after 15 minutes, we were looking for records. Australia once beat New Zealand Residents 108-0 and Russia by two fewer points.

But in the Four Nations opener at Hull's Craven Park, before an appreciative 5,337 crowd, Steve McCormack's Scotland Bravehearts eventually lived up to their name as the green and golds gave coach Mal Meninga a few selection headaches when they cruised to a 54-12 victory.

This concept is headed for the scrapheap precisely because of games like this. Unlike rugby union's Six Nations, the minnows never get to improve because they are in one tournament and out the next.

Of the other nations who have been given a taste at this level, Scotland has the least domestic activity and from the moment Australia winger Blake Ferguson crossed in the fourth minute from a scrum win, they were never going to get close.