Australia fly-half Matt Giteau explained away his costly off-day with the boot as just "one of those days" after gifting Scotland a dramatic 9-8 victory at Murrayfield.
The Wallabies looked to have conjured a late turnaround when Ryan Cross forced his way over for a try in the dying moments of the game but Giteau hooked the routine conversion wide of the posts with the last kick of the game.
"There's not a real else lot to say other than I mis-hit it," he said after his side's 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.
Revealing the dressing room had been "pretty quiet" afterwards, Giteau 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."
Australia face Magners League side Cardiff Blues on Tuesday night before tackling Wales at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday.