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11/07 11:14 CST All Blacks down Scotland 43-21 and stay perfect in Nations
Championship rugby
All Blacks down Scotland 43-21 and stay perfect in Nations Championship rugby
EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) --- New Zealand stayed undefeated against Scotland and
perfect in Nations Championship rugby after convincingly taking an entertaining
contest 43-21 on Saturday.
The All Blacks edged a seven-try shootout in the first half then shut out
Scotland in the second half to take the tension out of Murrayfield for the last
half hour.
New Zealand was doubly determined to play well to honor the death last weekend
of Logan Cadwallader, their security chief for 10 years, at the team hotel in
Edinburgh.
"Very satisfying win," said All Blacks center Quinn Tupaea, the player of the
match. "It's been a tough week for the group but we rallied together well and
got a good result at a difficult place to play."
The Scots rued near-misses against New Zealand in their most recent matchups in
2017, 2022 and 2025 but could have no regrets this time as they succumbed in
the second spell to the All Blacks' suffocating ball control and brilliant
execution from set-pieces.
"They picked it up and we couldn't stick with them, its really disappointing,"
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu said.
"We were playing our rugby in the first half, putting them under pressure with
ball in hand, in a way they haven't been put under pressure for a few weeks. We
just weren't accurate enough when we got down into the 22."
New Zealand improved to 4-0 in the race with unbeaten South Africa to represent
the southern hemisphere in the Nov. 29 final.
Scotland's own hopes were dealt a blow as it dropped to 2-2 in the northern
standings with Australia coming next.
Ashman hat trick
The All Blacks overcame two yellow cards to squeak out a 24-21 halftime lead as
the teams went back and forth and turned down comfortable penalty kicks to go
for tries.
The visitors struck first from a lineout trick play. Dummy runners from the
maul left flanker Wallace Sititi to break up the middle and score in the fourth
minute.
Scotland hooker Ewan Ashman replied from a lineout drive with the first try of
his hat trick.
New Zealand front-rowers Ethan de Groot and captain Codie Taylor crossed in
quick succession for 17-7 then flanker Peter Lakai was sin-binned and Ashman
crashed past Sititi to score his second.
Sititi then dented the Scots and the veteran Beauden Barrett ran a great line
off Damian McKenzie's pass to slide in.
Sititi was yellow-carded just before Lakai returned to the field and New
Zealand remained a man down for the rest of the half. Scotland pressed and the
first chance was ruined by New Zealand's maul defense and a monster scrum.
But with a second chance, Ashman was driven over for his second career hat
trick: He also scored three against the United States in 2024.
After halftime, New Zealand turned the heat up on Scotland and built breathing
room on the scoreboard.
Around Scotland losing Tuipulotu to accumulating offenses, the All Blacks
executed first phase from set-pieces with tries to wing Josh Moorby and
Barrett, who became the ninth man all-time to 50 test tries.
New Zealand didn't let up at 36-21 with a half-hour left and finished with a
too-easy try by replacement hooker Asafo Aumua after a superb one-handed
lineout take by Tupou Vaa'i.
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