Nations Championship - Scotland 21-43 New Zealand: All Blacks power on to leave hosts well short of history at Murrayfield

New Zealand's All Blacks surged past Scotland at Murrayfield in the second half to secure Nations Championship victory

Scotland remain winless against New Zealand in 121 years of contests as the All Blacks proved too strong to record a 43-21 Nations Championship victory at Murrayfield. 

The All Blacks scored seven tries in the Scottish capital through No 8 Wallace Sititi, loosehead Ethan de Groot, hooker Codie Taylor, full-back Beauden Barrett (two), wing Josh Moorby and replacement hooker Asafo Aumua, and despite sin-binings to back-rows Peter Lakai and Sititi, demonstrated their lethal ability in attack.

Scotland battled from 10 points behind to narrow to within three by the break after a madcap opening 40 minutes which saw hooker Ewan Ashman score a hat-trick, but New Zealand emerged to dominate the second half.

The net result means Gregor Townsend's side remain searching for a first success over the All Blacks, with Scotland's winless run against New Zealand now at 34 Tests.

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Scotland remain without a victory over the All Blacks in their history, and failed to score a point in the second half

The All Blacks paid tribute to long-serving head of security Logan Cadwallader pre-match, who passed away suddenly last week

With Scotland caught offside less than three minutes in, New Zealand turned down a potential kick for points in favour of a lineout attack in the 22, and struck for the opening try through a clever set-piece play filled with disguise as Sititi spun and raced over.

Back-row Wallace Sititi scored the opening try in the fourth minute following a clever lineout move

McKenzie poorly missed the conversion and within four minutes, Scotland had their first try: a rolling maul seeing the hosts plunge the majority of their outfield players in, rendering it unstoppable, with Ashman finishing.

Russell converted for an early lead, but the All Blacks replied with two bouts of sustained phase-attack in the Scotland 22: the first seeing Will Jordan held up, but the second bringing a try for De Groot as the prop grounded on the line.

Scotland responded quickly as Ewan Ashman touched down following a rolling maul

McKenzie converted this time for a 12-7 lead, and it was soon extended further when Scotland No 8 Jack Dempsey gave away an extremely costly neck-roll penalty within his own 22 - the All Blacks making him pay with a rapid maul drive off a flat and sharp Taylor lineout delivery - the hooker adding the scoring touch.

McKenzie proved off target again with the conversion to leave the difference a 10-point one, and when the visitors conceded five penalties in quick succession to invite Scottish pressure in their 22, Lakai was sent to the sin-bin and Russell kicked back into the corner.

Incisive Scotland centre Huw Jones - outstanding in the first half - was held up in-goal when a try looked a certainty, but Scotland did notch their second in the 26th minute when Ashman ran a superb line to charge past Sititi to finish.

Ashman charged over for his second as Scotland get fighting back in the first half

Russell tapped over the extras to narrow within three points, but the 14-player All Blacks were next to cross when Barrett sliced through following a trademark slick attack.

Beauden Barrett sliced through for New Zealand's fourth try of the first half

Scotland's response was to make another line-break off a restart, with the All Blacks guilty of yet more penalties and temporarily reduced to 13 with Sititi sin-binned.

Yet, in the home side's only attack facing 13 players, they saw a five-metre lineout maul sacked and the ball forced unplayable in a huge lost opportunity, which was then compounded when the All Blacks won a dominant scrum penalty to clear.

Another Jones break saw New Zealand infringe to present a five-metre lineout chance once more, and this time Scotland got it right two minutes before the break as backs piled into the maul again and Ashman completed his hat-trick.

Ashman (left) completed his hat-trick via a second maul try, bringing Scotland within three points by half-time

Russell's conversion brought Scotland within three again by the half-time break, and an early chance fell their way in the second half on the cusp of the New Zealand 22 with ball in hand, but poor execution saw the ball fall to floor.

Instead, Scotland captain Tuipulotu was caught offside to invite New Zealand onto the attack, pinning the hosts into their 22. When a crooked lineout throw followed, New Zealand turned the screw at the scrum and scored out wide through Moorby.

Josh Moorby scored early in the second half for the All Blacks as they took control

The All Blacks quickly built into the 22 moments later, with Tuipulotu sin-binned for repeat team infringements and Barrett finishing his second in the 51st minute after ruthless New Zealand backline attack vs 14.

McKenzie converted for a substantial 15-point lead, which felt even greater when Scotland passed up their next try chance: wing Kyle Steyn knocking on after Jordan failed to get a hand to a long pass just in front of him.

Barrett's second try saw the All Blacks strike for two tries in two minutes

Russell was subbed off for Scotland just past the hour having struggled to influence things, while breakdown penalties won by Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea sniffed out the home side's next two possessions.

With 12 minutes to play, New Zealand chalked up their seventh try of the Test as Aumua sprinted through untouched past poor Scotland defence.

Replacement Asafo Aumua charged over for New Zealand's seventh and final try

Searching for a fourth try which would at least have brought Scotland a bonus point in defeat, New Zealand's closing defence proved too good, leaving those in blue with a familiar deflating feeling.

'Disappointed' Townsend: Accuracy, indiscipline cost us

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend said:

"Disappointing. Obviously they are one of the best teams in the world and they converted opportunities.

"Some of our attacking play was excellent in that first half, but we couldn't get the ball in that third quarter.

"Going down to 14 men, it was difficult to wrestle that momentum back, so a disappointing day.

"I thought we had enough play in the first-half to build on and cause some problems, but we didn't do that in the second-half.

"Those two things [accuracy, discipline]. I think if you can hold onto the ball in the modern game, then you can get points and we did that in the first-half, three tries.

"We didn't do that in the second-half and New Zealand had more ball and did well with it."

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend cut a frustrated figure at full-time, as another chance at history passed his side by

Tuipulotu: Our discipline wasn't good enough

Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu said post-match:

"Disappointed, to be honest. I thought we were playing our rugby in the first-half and, to be honest, we probably left points out there, which was a little bit disappointing.

"We were just nowhere near accurate enough in the second-half. They picked it up on us, we couldn't stick with them. It's really disappointing.

"I don't think our discipline wasn't good enough, and it probably starts with me. I got sent to the bin. 10 minutes with your captain off is not going to be good for any team.

"I take full responsibility for that."

What's next?

For Scotland, they next face Australia in their second Nations Championship Test of the autumn at Murrayfield on Sunday November 15 (3.10pm kick-off).

New Zealand travel to face Wales in Cardiff for their next Test, on Saturday November 14 (2.10pm kick-off).