Thursday November 12th 2026
Murrayfield (credit: Scottish Rugby / SNS)
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Jack Lewis-Biddick
It was the same old story for Scotland on Saturday as they failed to make history with a loss to the All Blacks 43-21 at Murrayfield.
New Zealand came out of the blocks fast after some nice buildup play drew a Scotland penalty for offside. McKenzie then kicked to the corner to set up a lineout. New Zealand engaged to maul but then a slick move from Peter Lakai sent Wallace Sititi through some weak Scottish tacklers to score inside the first four minutes. However, Damian McKenzie just pulled the conversion kick wide of the posts.
Scotland responded quickly though, with a brilliant 50/22 from Kyle Rowe setting Scotland up with great field position just a couple of metres from the line. Scotland then set up for a maul with all the backs joining in, causing Ewan Ashman to crash over with Finn Russell converting to make Scotland go up 7-5 after nine minutes.
Just a few minutes later, due to some poor Scottish discipline, the All Blacks were back in Scotland’s 22. But after a solid Scottish defensive set they were able to keep Will Jordan out, just holding him up.
Scotland looked like they were holding the All Blacks defence but a classy offload from Tupou Vaa’i and a quick pass from Josh Moorby sent Beauden Barrett down the sideline. Barrett then smartly kicked in behind to send Scotland into panic.
Fagerson made a huge effort to get back and collect the ball but lazy work in the ruck cost Scotland another penalty. Roigard took a quick tap trying to catch Scotland out. He was stopped short, but they couldn’t stop De Groot as he stretched out to score. McKenzie then knocked it through from right under the posts to make it 7-12 in an end to end first seventeen minutes.
The All Blacks were able to extend their lead after a needless of feet by Jack Dempsey gave the All Blacks a lineout five metres out. A tricky lineout throw to an unlifted Scott Barrett set up a virtually undefendable maul which raced over to score. It wasn’t McKenzie’s day from the tee as he uncharacteristically hit the conversion short of the posts. The score is now 7-17.
Scotland hit back, getting into the All Blacks 22 quickly. The All Blacks held them out but after repeated infringements from the All Blacks, Peter Lakai was sent to the bin. Scotland kicked for the corner and to the surprise of no one set up for another maul. They looked like they were rolling to the line, but the ball had to be scurried away to Huw Jones who was miraculously held up due to the arm of Josh Moorby.
After many phases the moment finally came when Ewan Ashman hit a great short line to storm over in the twenty-fifth minute. Russell converted under the posts to make it 14-17.
Just ten minutes before halftime after eight phases in the twenty-two, Beauden Barrett hit the perfect short line to break the Scotland defence open and score. McKenzie then gets his kicking back on track to make the game 14-24 despite Lakai still being in the bin.
Scotland kicked short of kick off catching the All Blacks out and building the attack until the twenty-two. After several penalties the All Blacks were given another yellow card, this time to Wallace Sititi.
Peter Lakai returns to the field thirty-four minutes in.
Just before halftime after a couple of breaks from Huw Jones and a New Zealand penalty, Scotland kicked to touch and had a lineout five metres out. Where it was another maul try to Ewan Ashman to score a hat-trick, he became the first Scottish player to score a hat-trick against the All Blacks and only the fifth player ever. So I guess Scotland did make some history today at least. Finn Russell converts to make it 21-24.
After a bit of chaos the half finally ends after Moorby hacks the ball out of touch to prevent Scotland from scoring.
Sititi comes back from yellow one minute into the second half.
Again, New Zealand have good field position and are dominating the Scotland scrum, getting two penalties in a row and then another one for offside. New Zealand call the scrum again, but this time they have to play the ball where Jordie Barrett sent an excellent floated pass over to Moorby who slid in the corner for his first try. McKenzie misses again, but the score is still 21-29.
Scotland were under even more pressure when repeated penalties led to ten minutes in the sin bin for their captain Sione Tuipulotu.
Shortly after, the All Blacks were on the attack again, setting up a maul then passing it off to Tupea who swung it back to McKenzie who then hands off Kyle Steyn and gives it to Barrett to slide in. This is his 50th try for the All Blacks which means he overtakes Doug Howlett to be the All Blacks’ second highest try scorer. McKenzie converts to make the score 21-36.
At 63 minutes Scotland were back to fifteen men but instead with Tom Jordan coming on for Tuipulotu.
The All Blacks started to really control the game, winning the physical battle and winning the kicking game. Scotland could not penetrate their defence as New Zealand looked really good. That was further solidified when off the lineout they chose to go the short side where they found a rampaging Asafo Aumua on a short line who zoomed over to score. McKenzie converted to seal the game for the All Blacks with the score now being a 43-21 lead for the All Blacks with just eleven minutes to go.
From there New Zealand controlled the game to finish with a 43-21 win and a very disappointing performance from a Scotland side who showed so much promise in the first half.
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