Scotland 23-31 New Zealand: Scots push All Blacks close but miss out on first win

Darcy Graham's first-half effort roused Murrayfield amid hopes of a maiden triumph implicit the All Blacks

Scotland failed to extremity a 117-year hold for a archetypal ever triumph against New Zealand arsenic the beleaguered All Blacks fought backmost to triumph a thriller astatine Murrayfield.

But Scotland were level a specified 7 minutes aboriginal erstwhile Stuart Hogg was taken retired for a punishment effort and Darcy Graham intercepted and raced successful astatine the corner.

The returning Finn Russell added 3 penalties arsenic Scotland made it 23 unanswered points, but they were made to rue immoderate missed opportunities, and Jack Dempsey's sin-binning successful the last quarter.

The All Blacks - who had been connected the backmost ft for truthful overmuch of the crippled - took afloat vantage arsenic Scott Barrett crashed implicit and member Jordie converted to springiness them the pb again, earlier Telea added his 2nd to seal triumph with 5 minutes left.

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The past clip the All Blacks were successful Edinburgh successful 2017, lone a Beauden Barrett try-saver connected Hogg stopped a perchance historical victory, arsenic the tourists held connected for a five-point win.

Then, arsenic now, the Scotland players and fans were inspired by the beingness of Doddie Weir. The legendary fastener presented the lucifer shot 5 years aft launching his foundation, which has raised millions for centrifugal neurone illness research.

But adjacent with that almighty affectional lever to scope for, fewer had immoderate anticipation of a repetition of 2017's adjacent game, ne'er caput a archetypal ever triumph implicit New Zealand. Even this imperfect mentation of them.

And immoderate astatine Murrayfield who did person anticipation mightiness person thought of heading for the pub erstwhile Taukei'aho crashed implicit with the visitors' archetypal onslaught and Telea pounced connected a cross-field instrumentality for a debut people to marque it 14-0 aft 7 minutes.

But Scotland recovered immoderate it is they misplaced astatine the extremity of 2021. Townsend's squad re-discovered immoderate intensity, accuracy, and inspiration.

Hogg, backmost to his best, broke the enactment and kicked through, forcing Anton Lienert-Brown to instrumentality him retired to forestall a try. Off the centre went to the bin, and Scotland had 7 points.

It was soon 14 erstwhile Graham picked disconnected David Havili's slack walk and sensationally scooted past 2 achromatic shirts.

Russell, the main protagonist having been parachuted consecutive successful astatine fly-half aft not being picked for the archetypal squad, added a punishment to his conversion to springiness the Scots a 17-14 pb astatine the break.

It could person been more, too. Graham flew successful astatine the country but had a ft successful touch, Jamie Ritchie was done for a treble question implicit the line, and Duhan van der Merwe was stopped conscionable short.

When play resumed, the mean looking All Blacks strayed offside and the nerveless Russell made the pb six. Was the unthinkable unfolding?

Hogg went inches distant from a try, and past a scrum punishment allowed Russell to widen the spread to 9 points, and Scotland's 23rd without reply.

Murrayfield swelled with belief. By this signifier New Zealand were successful treble figures for penalties conceded, their aura fading fast.

Jordie Barrett's punishment made it a six-point crippled again arsenic the tourists stopped the travel of Scottish points with 18 minutes left.

Then came the turning point. Dempsey was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on arsenic helium raced disconnected the enactment to thwart an All Blacks surge, and from the resulting scrum the visitors pounced.

Scott Barrett burrowed implicit from adjacent range, and member Jordie converted to enactment New Zealand backmost successful beforehand by a azygous point.

At that stage, determination was an inevitability astir the outcome. And definite enough, the All Blacks made the triumph safe.

Relentless unit released Telea retired wide to thud implicit the whitewash successful the country and conscionable astir crushed the ball, and Barrett nailed the touchline conversion to hitch brackish into Scotland's wounds.

That's triumph fig 32 against the Scots for New Zealand, but lad they were fixed a scare.

Line-ups

Scotland: Hogg; Graham, Harris, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, Price; Schoeman, Brown, Z Fagerson, R Gray, Gilchrist, Ritchie (capt), Watson, M Fagerson

Replacements: Ashman, Sutherland, Nel, J Gray, Dempsey, White, Kinghorn, Bennett.

New Zealand: J Barrett; Telea, Lienert-Brown, Havili, Clarke; B Barrett, Christie; De Groot, Taukei'aho, Laulala, Whitelock (capt), S Barrett, A Ioane, Papali'i, Savea

Replacements: Taylor, Bower, Newell, Vaa'i, Frizell, Perenara, Perofeta, R Ioane.