This coming Tuesday Scotland take to an unknown site in Newcastle, New South Wales, and challenge the second ranked team in the World. They have Australia in Australia.
Despite the famous victory at Murrayfield 2009, as Matt Giteau slipped kicks uncharacteristically short of the posts, this is normally a fixture with a foregone conclusion. Few ever expect the Wallabies to succumb to Scotland and even less so at home.
However, having spoken to a few fans of a southern persuasion there is a sense that a hiccup may happen on Tuesday.
A lot of this stems from the squad selections by Robbie Deans and his backroom staff. Selecting a swollen 39-man squad there were call-ups for several uncapped players and a few superfluous props, fullbacks and back rowers. They are unsure who to pick at 10 after some injuries, they are trying to convince Quade Cooper he is fit and captain James Horwill is on the sidelines.
Despite all of their green options on the wings and at fullback, though, it is their pack options that give an unfancied Scot cause for hope.
They have selected six locks, three of whom are uncapped and one with a solitary game. James Slipper, Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota Nau aside, there looks to be no franchise front rowers. Throw in the back row debate and there is a chance Scotland have their objective laid out for them: skittle the pack.
With Australia there are stereotypes impossible to break down: Queenslanders and New South Wales natives dislike each other, shrimps go on barbies and the scrum is a weakness.
Yet it may not be that straightforward. Yes there is a chance that a front row of Jon Welsh, Ross Ford and Euan Murray will be given the task of crumpling their scrum, but the true area where Scotland could command is in the line-out.
Without Horwill and with no Rocky Elsom or standout back row bounder a lot of responsibility falls to veteran Nathan Sharpe. Kane Douglas is considered more of a grunt man, Caderyn Neville is talented but woefully shy of experience and Hugh Pyle is inconsistent.
Richie Gray will target Sharpe if he starts. If not then the away side have the capabilities of getting bodies in the air and snuffing out a drive. Kicks to touch won’t scare them. They may even be welcome. The issue is joining Andy Robinson’s high tempo style with a brutal set-piece. That will set the tone for this tour.
Soon enough we will know Australia’s match-day squad. This is a chance for the Scots to exercise a new look. If Australia do the same it could be all over the place as a spectacle. The one mercy is that this could mean more set-piece. Will expectations be met?