SCOTLAND forward Josh Strauss has vowed that he and his team-mates will beat Australia on Sunday as a tribute to Jonny Gray and Ross Ford.

The Scotland management have until tomorrow afternoon to decide whether to appeal against the three-week ban on Gray and Ford for foul play against Samoa, and if an appeal succeeds both men could play against the Wallabies in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final. But as things stand, Glasgow lock Gray and Edinburgh hooker Ford are out of the match - a decision that has angered Gray’s clubmate Strauss.

“We are all very disappointed for Ross and Jonny,” he said. “Being a close group of lads we know each other very well and these are two very determined guys.

"It was a tough call [for the disciplinary officer] and I don't have to make them, but we feel it was tough on them. When I heard it myself, and I can only speak for myself, I was angry.

“It was more for them. I can imagine myself in their shoes and how I would feel if it was me.

“But personally that’s good for me. It motivates me. I want to put in a performance for them if I'm selected. I want to make them proud because they have made all of us proud.

"We have achieved so much as a group together and we are not going to let anything stand in our way.”

Although Strauss will be motivated by that anger over how Gray and Ford were dealt with, he also knows it will be important to keep a clear head against the Australians, who are the form team in the tournament after back-to-back wins over England and Wales. “As their friend, I feel it was quite a harsh decision. I feel for them.

“But we took the disappointment last night. Rugby is an environment of adversity and we have all experienced enough things and dealt with them in the past, so this will just make us stronger as a group. Now we'll just park our emotions and focus on the game.

“Both the guys have responded so well. They were really good in training. They are both mature enough to know there's no point sulking. That will only affect the morale of the other players.

“But they have been brilliant. I was really surprised at how energetic they were in training and the positive vibe they were bringing. Even if you are not selected you have to give the players who are playing the best platform in training and that is their mentality.”

Even if Scotland are deprived of two of their best players for the game, Strauss is confident they can upset the odds and win. “You don't come into a competition thinking you can't win it. Anybody can be beaten.

“We've earned the right to be here and we're going to show it at the weekend. There is no sense that we can be intimidated by them. The feeling is we are going to win. The belief is that we will win.

“The key to the game will be physicality. They are great at the breakdown. They have got great balance and a great pack. So physicality at the set-piece and everywhere else will be where the game is won.”