New Zealand held a 17-7 lead over Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday in the Nations Championship, according to live coverage from The Guardian. The visitors crossed for three tries inside the opening 20 minutes, with Scotland responding through a single score before New Zealand were reduced to 14 men.
The Guardian reported that Sititi opened the scoring after four minutes, finishing a move that began with a line-out in midfield. Scotland's defence was split when the set piece was gathered and a short pass put Sititi through a gap. Damian McKenzie missed the conversion from the right-hand side.
Why it matters
The match is part of the Nations Championship, and Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu framed the fixture as a chance to make history. Before kick-off, he said his side were "chasing greatness" and trying to be the first of their kind, The Guardian reported. Finn Russell, Scotland's fly-half, said belief alone was not enough and that results had to follow.
Scotland's assistant coach Peter Horne told the outlet that the All Blacks appeared to have recovered their confidence, saying they seemed to have their "mojo back". The Guardian also noted that supporters on the official Nations Championship website were not favouring the home side.
Scotland respond, then New Zealand pull clear
Scotland answered the early setback through Ewan Ashman, who extended his record as his country's highest-scoring forward. The Guardian reported that Scotland won a line-out and set up a maul that initially stalled before the backs joined the drive. A 13-man maul then carried Ashman, who had waited at the rear, over the line. Russell's conversion from just right of the posts put Scotland in front.
The lead lasted only a few minutes. The Guardian reported that New Zealand's second try came from a sweeping move: Beauden Barrett broke down the left, chipped ahead, and after Scotland cleared up in their own 22 they conceded a penalty. Roigard took it quickly, and after one phase de Groot picked up and forced his way over from close range. McKenzie's conversion restored the visitors' advantage.
New Zealand's third try arrived on 20 minutes, again from a penalty conceded by Scotland inside their own half. The Guardian described the line-out as short and clean, with the maul forming immediately and Taylor driven over in the corner. McKenzie missed the conversion attempt.
Earlier, Scotland had come close to scoring themselves. The Guardian reported that Jones looked certain to touch down after a quick move from a penalty, but two defenders under the posts stopped the ball being grounded. Scotland then worked through phases, with Tuipulotu and Zander Fagerson carrying, before the ball reached Dobie on the left wing, where he was bundled into touch.
New Zealand had also been held up in the corner around the 13-minute mark. The Guardian reported that the visitors moved the ball quickly to Jordan on the opposite wing, then came back the other way and drove through the middle, inching towards the left corner. A final carry involving three forwards was stopped by Dempsey and White, who kept the ball off the ground.
Discipline costs Scotland as Lakai sees yellow
Scotland's defence drew praise in the live coverage, but their penalty count drew criticism. The Guardian noted that Darge was penalised for holding on from the floor, giving New Zealand another line-out five metres out, and that a Scotland player strayed offside during an earlier New Zealand attack.
The pressure told shortly after the half-hour mark when Lakai was shown a yellow card for slowing the ball down. The Guardian reported that Scotland, having reloaded from a maul, attacked infield through Tuipulotu and Zander Fagerson before the ball was flung to Dobie on the left wing, where he was stopped. Lakai's sin-binning gave Scotland another opportunity against 14 men.
The Guardian's coverage also highlighted the contest between the two fly-halves, Damian McKenzie and Finn Russell, as a defining feature of the match. It noted that McKenzie provides spark and thrust while Russell brings improvisation, and that whichever side played on the front foot would likely control the game.
Scotland had begun brightly, winning the kick-off and building inside New Zealand's half before being turned over on the right flank. New Zealand then kicked ahead and Scotland recovered inside their own 22, with White's clearance finding touch to give the visitors the first line-out.
The Guardian reported that Codie Taylor led the All Blacks out, with Tuipulotu heading the Scotland column.
What to watch next: whether Scotland can turn their numerical advantage into points before Lakai returns, and whether McKenzie's goalkicking improves after two missed conversions.
