Scotland coach Jim Telfer was bemused, perhaps even bewildered, but certainly not bothered last night after former Australian internationalist Steve Merrick dubbed his side ''too soft'' following the tourists' 34-13 win over New South Wales Country at Bathurst.

A fascinating character who turned his back on a Test career with the Wallabies last year because he felt his long-term future was more secure if he continued mining, Merrick was dismissive of Scotland's efforts and predicted problems ahead for them.

''I thought they were a bit soft, actually. Take away 15 easy points that we gave them in the first half and there is a bit of a game there. We came back at them later on, but missed a few first-half tackles which let them get a hold on the game,'' said the scrum-half, who toured the UK in 1996 and at one stage kept the gifted George Gregan out of the Australian Test side.

''When they face New South Wales, they won't miss any tackles, so I think Scotland will find it pretty hard,'' he went on, before conceding that Scotland would field a stronger side against the state side on Saturday.

Elaborating on his criticisms of the Scottish approach, he explained that although Scotland recycled the ball well, they were not as intimidating in the contact areas as the Country team expected, particularly in the tackle and the scrummage.

''Our forwards were saying they weren't that hard in the scrum and they didn't push us around,'' he said.

''We played Wales last year and they flogged us. When you were tackled you knew you had been tackled.

''Physically, they knocked us back in contact. On the hit and drive they buried you into the ground.''

Yet, the Scottish coach, globally acknowledged as an authority on forward play, sug- gested that Merrick's criticisms were well wide of the mark.

He believed that Scotland had put in an exceptionally aggressive performance in the loose, aware, too, that to go over the score with their traditional rucking style on foreign territority when local referees are in charge of matches, could invite trouble.

As for Merrick's observations on the scrummage, Telfer found them laughable.

''If their props are saying they weren't pushed backwards in the scrums then they are kidding themselves on,'' he said after what was Scotland's best all-round set-piece effort on tour so far.

Clearly, in the build-up first to Saturday's meeting with the Waratahs, then the first Test with the Wallabies a week later, there is an impression that the propaganda has begun in earnest, but Telfer is a master of turning that to his own advantage.

''I will just go out and tell the lads what has been said about them,'' said the Scotland coach, with a grin on his face.