All Blacks 25
Scotland 17
By Liam Napier at Murrayfield
It’s the hope that must hurt Scotland the most.
The All Blacks survived three yellow cards in a dramatic, gripping, chaotic contest befitting Murrayfield’s centenary celebration to preserve their 120-year unbeaten record against Scotland.
The bagpipes fell silent as the All Blacks, leading 17-0 at halftime, seemed set to ease to a comfortable victory to continue their quest for a fifth successful Grand Slam.
Any thoughts of a historic Scottish upset appeared dead.
Modern test rugby has a way of defying the script, though.
Maybe there was complacency but a shaky start to the second half rattled the All Blacks. They botched the opening kickoff and, in the space of 10 minutes, they conceded two tries, lost Ardie Savea to a second yellow card and had Damian McKenzie replace Caleb Clarke on the left wing after the latter copped a head knock.
Wallace Sititi produced many magic moments but his yellow card for an attempted intercept gone wrong further entrenched the All Blacks on the back foot.
The sold-out crowd, largely subdued in the first half, roared to life when Finn Russell slotted a penalty to lock up the contest.
Not long ago, such a scoreline seemed unfathomable.
The All Blacks were on the rack, out on their feet, but they somehow summoned the strength to respond with impact from the bench, as it did in Chicago last week against Ireland, helping extend their unbeaten record at Murrayfield to 20 straight tests.
With the All Blacks desperately needing someone to stand tall McKenzie turned a match-winner late in this match.
Firstly, he stepped up with a 50-22 that landed 5m out from Scotland’s line.
After the All Blacks hammered away, McKenzie crossed for the decisive try – in the same corner Beauden Barrett pulled off his try-saving tackle on Stuart Hogg eight years ago - six minutes from the finish.
With blood streaming from his battered face, McKenzie then drove the final nail through Scottish hearts with a long-range penalty to ensure the All Blacks push onto Twickenham next week with the Grand Slam still in sight.
In the wash up, there will be major questions as to how the All Blacks collapsed to almost blow their 17-point advantage. They should never have been in such a fragile, vulnerable second-half position.
But so, too, will they be proud of their ability to again dig themselves out of a serious hole with defiant goal-line defence while one man short playing a major role in this tight, tense victory.
Sititi, returning to the country where his father Semo played extensively for the Border club and named his son after William Wallace, produced a magnificent first-half performance after his recall to blindside flanker.
Before this test Sititi was this year yet to recapture the heights that propelled him to World Rugby breakout player in his rookie test campaign.
After several appearances off the bench, Sititi repaid the faith by causing havoc with his dominant ball carrying and offloading prowess that culminated in his burst down the left-hand edge – and the calmness to hold the pass until the right moment to lay on Will Jordan’s try for a 17-point lead at the break.
As a combination, the All Blacks loose forwards impressed.
Sititi led the charge but Peter Lakai, with his defence, ball carrying, and two breakdown turnovers, was right there with him.
When the All Blacks were reduced to 14 men for the first time, Savea earned a breakdown penalty after a chopping Lakai tackle.
Leroy Carter had a moment of madness when he copped the first yellow card for foot-tripping Scotland wing Darcy Graham but that didn’t cost the All Blacks as they won that period 7-0.
The contrast between the start, when Josh Lord laid on the opening try for Cam Roigard, to the second half was stark.
The All Blacks had to work hard for their points in the first spell, but they did flow.
Scotland staunchly defended their line for prolonged periods, repelling the All Blacks as they turned down two shots at goal.
Russell received extended attention on his knee that eventually forced him from the field, but he led the fightback with a 50-22 over Will Jordan’s head. Scotland could not capitalise, though, with the All Blacks summoning superb goal-line defence to twice hold up the home side over the line.
The All Blacks managed their 10-minute period one man short with tactical smarts. They mauled, scrummed for penalties, scrambled on defence and then flicked the attacking switch to give Sititi the chance to provide Jordan’s strike that should have allowed the All Blacks to hold control from then on.
The second half, though, proved to be a completely different story as the All Blacks clung on for dear life.
Under intense pressure it was clear the All Blacks, in their 33rd crack at Scotland, did not want to be tagged as the team to blow their unbeaten record.
The question now, after such an absorbing, brutal battle that claimed casualties such as Clarke, is how much this performance will strip from the All Blacks’ legs.
For Scotland, it’s another, familiar case of so close, so far, yet again.
All Blacks 25 (Cam Roigard, Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie tries; Beauden Barrett 2 con, pen, McKenzie pen)
Scotland 17 (Ewan Ashman, Kyle Steyn tries; Finn Russell 2 cons, pen)
HT: 17-0
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.