mens
nations-championship
Ewan Ashman became only the fifth player ever to score a hat-trick against New Zealand, but it wasn’t enough to stop him Scotland it comes down to another loss in this match.
The Scots sensed an opportunity to end their long wait for their first win over All black people after Edinburgh whore Ashman booted a hat-trick to keep them within three points of their visitors at the end of an epic seven-try first half.
But the hosts lost their way after the break as Dave Rennie’s side closed out a thoroughly comfortable 43-21 on song Nations Championship triumph.
Scotland, who received something of a reality check as they failed to get a point in the second half, now failed to beat them New Zealand in 34 meetings since they first lit their horns in 1905.
There was a moment of applause before kick-off in memory of former Edinburgh captain Ally Donaldson, who died in September, and long-time All Blacks security chief Logan Cadwallader, who died in Edinburgh last weekend.
Since Scotland last played, against Fiji for nearly four months, New Zealand – ranked second in the world – were involved in 10 matches, including a grueling four-match series against South Africa.
The battle-hardened visitors went ahead in the fourth minute as back-rower Wallace Sititi took advantage of some poor Scottish defending to score from the line. Damian McKenzie was off target after the conversion.
The Scots responded in the eighth minute when Ashman squeezed off the line and Finn Russell converted.
After All Blacks winger Will Jordan was kept on the line by Ben White, and the visitors regained the lead in the 16th minute as prop Ethan de Groot bulldozed his way through three Scots and scored from close range. McKenzie was converted.
Hooker Codie Taylor then scored from a lineout in the 20th minute, but McKenzie’s conversion fell short of the required distance as the All Blacks went into the second quarter with a 10-point lead.
Scotland responded strongly, with New Zealand winger Peter Lakai booked in the 23rd minute for repeated fouls.
Within three minutes, the deficit was reduced to three when Ashman crossed after brilliant work from Rory Darge and Siona Tuipulotu, with Russell adding the extras.
Just as Gregor Townsend’s side looked to be in the ascendancy, New Zealand’s 14 men reasserted their authority as Beauden Barrett found the gap after being fed by McKenzie, who duly added the extras.
New Zealand struggled to maintain their discipline amid the chaos and Sititi was condemned to a cynical game just as Lakai returned to the fray in the 33rd minute.
The home side accounted for the extra man in the 37th minute as Ashman became the first Scotsman to score a hat-trick against the All Blacks after another line kick and Russell again converted to make it 24-21 for the visitors at the break.
However, Scotland were unable to maintain their intensity in the first half after the restart.
After being restored to their full quota of 15, New Zealand took control of the scoreboard with a couple of quick-fire tries, scored by Josh Moorby and Barrett, both sides of Scotland captain Tuipulotua being penalized in the 51st minute for multiple team fouls.
The Scots’ hopes of a comeback were all but extinguished in the 68th minute when substitute Asafo Aumu took advantage of poor defending on the line.
