Using Linux, I'd like to issue a rust server commands to the console from an external script/application. Is this possible? If so can someone point me in the right direction or pass on some source code?

with the rust unity engine, it does not support typing into the console. The only way to "type in a rust console" is to use something like node to connect to the webrcon from the linux cli

https://www.reddit.com/r/playrustadmin/comments/bfsn1o/rcon_client_for_linux_that_can_be_used_within_a/

Thanks.