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Scotland 23 New Zealand 31: Scots rue missed chances and a golden opportunity to finally beat New Zealand in Murrayfield thriller

Captain Jamie Ritchie leads the charge against New Zealand.
Captain Jamie Ritchie leads the charge against New Zealand.

Scotland were left with nothing but regret once more against the All Blacks as they let slip a golden opportunity to beat them for the first time in 117 years.

Leading 23-14 midway through the second half, the Scots seemed to have that long-elusive win in their sights. They had bounced back from a nightmare start of conceded two tries in seven minutes and the All Blacks seemed to be reeling.

Scotland’s big name players, Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell, had orchestrated a superb gameplan. It produced a host of try-scoring chances and the pressure for a flurry of penalties.

But three turnovers from the visitors on their own line under severe pressure kept New Zealand in the game, and the Scots would eventually rue those missed chances. Tries from Scott Barrett and Mark Telea in the final ten minutes brought the All Blacks back to victory.

A breathless, frantic first 15 minutes

The first 15 minutes were as breathless as anything Murrayfield has seen in its 100-year history.

The emotion of the Remembrance observance and the pitchside visit of an ailing Doddie Weir maybe left the Scots a little overwhelmed. They were certainly running after shadows as New Zealand swept to two tries in the first seven minutes.

Stuart Hogg’s first action was a poor missed tackle on Mark Telea and a penalty in retreat.

New Zealand went for the corner, Scotland contested the lineout unsuccessfully and were left undermanned as Samisoni Taukei’aho fought through for the try.

Then two exquisite Beauden Barrett kicks opened up Scotland again, the second a pinpoint cross kick to Telea to score easily. Jordie Barrett converted both and Scotland looked shell-shocked.

But on 12 minutes Russell’s inside ball sprung Hogg at full pace, and the former skipper was impeded by Anton Leinert Brown as he chased his own kick ahead. A clear penalty try and a yellow card for the All Black centre.

Then Scotland released Duhan van der Merwe on the left only for him lose the ball in the tackle. But David Havili hesitated with options on his outside, and his pass was picked off by Darcy Graham.

The quicksilver wing scampered away from tackles by Caleb Clarke and Jordie Barrett to score his 13th try for Scotland.

Two great chances before half-time

Russell converted and the game had completely changed. Jordie Barrett was cornered by Hogg and Hamish Watson with 67,000 on their feet screaming their approval, although the flanker had to go off after the impact.

The Scots missed two great chances to score a third try, first when skipper Jamie Ritchie was called for a double movement as he drove for the line.

Just before the break the Scots were pressing again. But they went with the forwards once too many with an overlap on the wide right, and were turned over.

Graham nearly got in for a second try after a sublime combination between Russell and Hogg, but the stand-off kicked the penalty and the Scots led 17-14 at the break.

You felt the Scots needed to score first in the second half to keep momentum, and some purposeful attack put real pressure on New Zealand, for whom the penalty count was getting out of hand. Russell booted two more penalties to stretch the Scots out to 23-14.

Yet they missed another great chance to put distance between them and the visitors. This time an amazing last ditch tackle denied Hogg, and the All Blacks forced a saving penalty on their own line for a third time.

First score for 50 minutes turns the tide

Jordie Barrett reduced the gap with a penalty – New Zealand’s first score for more than 50 minutes – and suddenly the Scots were in full retreat.

Under siege on their own line Watson’s replacement Jack Dempsey was yellow carded for an intentional knock on.

New Zealand scrummed the penalty and lock Scott Barrett drove over for the try, converted by brother Jordie, that put the All Blacks on top again by a point.

And although the Scots managed the man deficit well for a while, they started to concede penalties under pressure at scrum and ruck.

New Zealand capitalised just before Dempsey returned as Telea got in at the corner. Barrett converted from the touchline and the game was safe for the All Blacks.

Att: 67,144

Teams

Scotland: Stuart Hogg; Darcy Graham, Chris Harris, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe; Finn Russell, Ali Price; Pierre Schoeman, Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson; Richie Gray, Grant Gilchrist; Jamie Ritchie (capt), Hamish Watson, Matt Fagerson.

Replacements: Ewan Ashman for Brown 71), Rory Sutherland (for Schoeman 57), WP Nel (for Z Fagerson 57), Jonny Gray (for Gilchrist 66), Jack Dempsey (for Watson 18), Ben White (for Price 66), Blair Kinghorn (for Tuipulotu 78), Mark Bennett (for Harris 66).

New Zealand:  Jordie Barrett; Mark Telea, Anton Leinert-Brown, David Havili, Caleb Clarke; Beauden Barrett, Finlay Christie; Ethan de Groot, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Nepo Laulala; Sam Whitelock (capt), Scott Barrett; Akira Ioane, Dalton Papali’i, Ardie Savea.

Replacements: Codie Taylor (for Taukei’aho 57), George Bower (for de Groot 52), Fletcher Newell (for Laulala 52), Tupou Vaa’i (for S Barrett 71), Shannon Frizell (for A Ioane 60), TJ Perenara (for Christie 57), Stephen Perofeta, Rieko Ioane (for Havili 54).

Ref: Frank Murphy (IRFU).