Matt Giteau insisted he just had "one of those games" after his sudden loss of form saw Australia crash against Scotland.

Giteau was in the midst of a fly-half masterclass at Murrayfield last night when his form with the boot suddenly deserted him.

A shocking penalty blunder from point-blank range was followed by a shanked drop goal and a more forgivable 40-metre miss.

But that was nothing compared to the drama that was to follow as Giteau stepped up to hand Australia victory with the final kick of the game only to send a routine conversion wide of the left post.

"There's not a real else lot to say other than I mis-hit it," he said after his side's 9-8 defeat.

"You've just got to take it like any other kick.

"Unfortunately, I didn't hit it really well.

"I had other opportunities to knock earlier ones over that would have made it a lot easier.

"It was just one of those games."

Giteau insisted his earlier misses had not played on his mind when he stood over the ball in stoppage-time halfway between the touchline and the middle of the pitch.

"You just worry about what you've got to do at that point and that's all I was trying to do," he said.

The incredible drama that unfolded yesterday, which also included two disallowed tries for the visitors and two more wasted try-scoring opportunities, had whipped the crowd into a frenzy by the time Giteau took his fateful kick.

But the 27-year-old, who has been nominated for the International Rugby Board Player of the Year award, insisted that had not put him off.

"We obviously understood the scoreline and the importance of the kick," said Giteau, who added Australia were always confident of clawing their way back from 9-3 down in the closing seconds.

After watching his side pen Scotland in their own half for virtually the entire 80 minutes, Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans said he had never before been involved in a defeat where his team had had so much of the game.

He also described it as the lowest point of his time in charge.

Giteau said: "Personally, it's probably up there."

Revealing the dressing room had been "pretty quiet" afterwards, he added: "We had our opportunities - three times where we crossed over and we didn't get a try.

"We just weren't good enough."

Giteau has now challenged himself and his team-mates to make amends for blowing their country's 16-match winning streak against Scotland during the remainder of their European tour.

"From a team point of view, it's how we bounce back," he said.

"We've still got two games to go. I think it's a real test of character."