The Stats Don't Lie: Scotland's seven year try drought

Dan Carter in action during the All Blacks last test against Scotland in 2010. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

There have been 28 games played between these two sides and the closest Scotland have come to defeating the All Blacks were two draws (1983 and 1964). The All Blacks are currently on a 16-match unbeaten streak against the Scots.

The last five tests between the two teams have all taken place in Edinburgh, with the All Blacks racking up a total of 187 points to Scotland's 25. The All Blacks have scored 24 tries in those five tests, while Scotland have managed just the one.

It has been seven years since Scotland managed to score a try against the All Blacks, and the men in black haven't offered up many chances to their opposition this season having conceded just 8 tries in 10 games. Twice this year they have kept their opposition scoreless.

History shows that Scotland have always struggled to score tries against New Zealand, with the All Blacks managing to keep them try-less in 13 of the 28 games. Only twice has Scotland kept the All Blacks try-less, those games being in 1954 and 1964.

The All Blacks are averaging almost 32 points per game this season, while keeping their opposition to a little over 11 points. They have scored 33 tries, with 16 of them coming against Ireland in the June test series.

The last time the All Blacks played Scotland they were on the wrong end of the penalty count (12-6) conceding seven breakdown penalties, four scrum penalties, and one for obstruction. Despite the scoreline (49-3) they also had to make 136 tackles, missing just eight in the match.

Andrew Mehrtens is the All Blacks' top points scorer against Scotland with 108, and still has the record for most points in a game with the 23 he scored in 1995. Christian Cullen has scored the most tries in a single test against Scotland, with four in 1996.

Of the current 2012 squad, Dan Carter has scored the most points against Scotland with 32 (including two tries), while Hosea Gear (two), Piri Weepu, Conrad Smith, Ali Williams and Richie McCaw have all scored tries.

The All Blacks have never landed a drop goal against Scotland, while the Scots have managed to get nine over the crossbar.

It will be the first time the All Blacks have been refereed by Jerome Garces (France). Garces was an assistant referee at the Rugby World Cup and ran the sideline for the All Blacks' pool game against Japan. He refereed the England v Italy match in this year's Six Nations competition.

Murrayfield is a sell-out for this test and it is the first time a November test match has been at capacity for this stadium since 1994.