Scotland comes close to a feat against New Zealand

A hair’s breadth from the feat. In the aftermath of Italy’s historic feat against Australia, Scotland almost beat New Zealand for the first time, but finally folded in extremis (31-23), Sunday, November 13, at Murrayfield Stadium Edinburgh, in an autumn test match.

Ideally launched after eight minutes of play (14-0) with two tries by the explosive hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho in force, (2nd) then by the winger Mark Telea (6th), the All Blacks were then dominated for more half of the game. In danger, and even sometimes outclassed in the current game, or in the conquest, they were also in the score (17-23) but managed to take the advantage a quarter of an hour from the end (24-23 ). They remain undefeated in 32 games against XV du Thistle.

A first defeat against the Scots would have plunged Ian Foster’s players back into doubt, in this year where they have already been defeated four times, and would have put the coach back in a bad position, a week from concluding the autumn tour. against England.

The XV of Chardon however provided a good performance, continuing to play until the end, ball in hand, to air the game on the wings, then to perforate the line of the All Blacks, without managing to carry the decisive blow. Scotland’s regrets will no doubt lie late in the first half and then early in the second, when they drummed the goal line to no avail. As in their last confrontation with New Zealand in 2017, when they failed in the last minutes to five small points from their prestigious opponent (17-22).