Australia coach Michael Cheika was happy to admit to some "naivety" at committing to a running game after the Wallabies conjured a great escape to sink Scotland 35-34 in an epic World Cup quarter-final on Sunday.
Cheika said his side's desire to attack the Scots throughout a breathless 80 minutes could have played into their resilient opponents' hands at Twickenham.
Australia scored five tries but underdogs Scotland took them to the wire, the twice winners needing a controversial last-minute penalty to secure a semi-final clash with Argentina next weekend.
"Although we've got massive improvements in certain areas our try scoring ability was there and we went after it. We didn't go to a kicking game, maybe that was a bit naive from me. Maybe we shouldn't have opened it up for them," Cheika told a news conference.
"We want to play how our identity tells us. What we represent...and that's to play running footie."
"We want to play how our identity tells us. What we represent...and that's to play running footie" - Michael Cheika
Australia, hot favourites to beat the Scots, looked set for a comfortable afternoon when Adam Ashley-Cooper sped over to score the opening try after eight minutes.
But Scotland were far from overawed, seizing on a defensive lapse to reply through Peter Horne to lead 16-15 at halftime.
The game appeared to have swung back Australia's way after the break with a second try from Drew Mitchell and Tevita Kuridrani, either side of Tommy Seymour's riposte, only for Mark Bennett to intercept James Slipper's pass to put the Scots within sight of a famous victory.
It was a lead they could not hold, however, with Bernard Foley making up for missing three conversions by nailing the match-winning penalty.
"If that was an 'escape', then so be it," Cheika said.
"We've scored five tries in the quarter-final of the World Cup. You expect to be somewhere near the winning end of the game.
"But you have to bring the rest of your game as well. Our defence in the first half wasn't up to standard. You saw a guy (Horne) walk through the middle of a ruck to score a try. Then an intercept...some poor decisions there.
"From where we are now, if that's an escape then I'm happy to escape."
Cheika said the Wallabies had not lost hope when needing to chase the game in the final minutes.
"I think when the conversion went over (to put Scotland 34-32 up), many teams would have though 'ok we've had a good run, let's go home'.
"I just like the way we went back and tried everything we could to get back into the game."
