Scotland rue opportunity lost to halt long Black run
112 years since first meeting but victory was in grasp
DARKNESS descended on Murrayfield just before kick-off, but this was no blackout.
In a pulsating contest that ebbed and flowed all the way to the final whistle, New Zealand ensured their 112-year unbeaten run against Scotland remained intact.
It wasn’t plain sailing for Steve Hansen’s men, though.
The home side will look back on an utterly dominant first-half when they could only post three points.
The ultimately proved the difference as New Zealand showed their class in the second-half.
The All Blacks had Sonny Bill Williams to thank for this hard-fought victory. The powerful midfielder having a hand in all three tries.
Scotland began with a ferocious intensity. There were offloads, hard lines of running and Hogg looking threatening whenever he was afforded the opportunity. When the fleet-footed Lee Jones spun through a few tackles, Waisake Naholo was penalised for going off his feet at the ruck. Russell booted the home side into a deserved 3-0 lead.
It could have been even better had Russell managed to hold onto Aaron Smith’s looping pass with a clear run to the line.
It was all Scotland in the opening quarter and Hogg was central to everything good about them.
The All Blacks were struggling for rhythm. Even Barrett, the World Player of the Year, was looking less than certain. The penalties were beginning to mount as Scotland continued to apply pressure.
Under the cosh for 22 minutes, New Zealand came roaring back as the wondroulsy talented Rieko Ioane broke the line before feeding the onrushing Sonny Bill Williams.
New Zealand then camped on the Scotttish line but then came another big moment. A ball-and-all tackle by Lee and Huw Jones on Ryan Crotty preventing a certain try.
Naholo could count himself lucky when he took out Hogg in air. Referee Matthew Carley, after consulting numerous replays on the big screen, deeming it only a penalty.
The contest continued to ebb and flow before Scotland found themselves deep in All Black territory, battering the line. Hogg made another big burst before Hamilton made great ground it but Zander Fagerson coughed up the ball from the next phase. An 18-phase attack with nothing to show for it.
Barrett made it 3-3 to bring an end to a pulsating 40 first-half at a heaving Murrayfield.
Having been on the ropes for the opening 40, New Zealand hit back. Ioane sparked made big inroads from a loose Scotland kick before Slick hands across the backline put hooker Codie Taylor over the corner. Barrett hooked the conversion but New Zealand had the lead along with the first try of the evening.
The physical toll was beginning to tell as Scots began dropping like flies: Fagerson, Alex Dunbar and Hamilton all left with injuries.
New Zealand were beginning to find their fluency and when Williams dropped a smart grubber kick behind the defence, flying fullback Damian McKenzie won the race to the ball. In the blink of an eye, it was 15-3 to the visitors.
There was another twister to come, however, as Sam Cane was sin-binned for hands in the ruck. Scotland capitalised almost immediately as vice captain Jonny Gray barged over from close-range.
But New Zealand responded: Sonny Bill broke the line before releasing McKenzie with an offload. The full-back linked beautifully with Barrett who raced under the posts for a sublime score.
Huw Jones raced onto Hogg’s deft grubber to set up a frantic finale but New Zealand held on. New ZealaNd: McKenzie, Naholo, Crotty (LienertBrown 63), Williams, Ioane, B Barrett, Smith 7 (Perenara 68), Hames (Crockett, 52), Taylor, Laulala (Tu’ungafasi 63), Romano (Squire 48), Whitelock, Fifita, Cane, Read. ScotlaNd: Hogg, Seymour, H Jones, Dunbar (Horne, 48), L Jones (McGuigan 74), Russell, Ali Price (Pyrgos 76), Marfo (Bhatti 58), McInally, Fagerson (Berghan 40), Toolis (Gilchrist 58), Gray, Barclay (c), Watson (Hamilton 26, Turner 50), du Preez. ReFeRee: Matthew Carley (England).