All Blacks v Scotland: Live updates from the Nations Championship test at Murrayfield

Follow the action as the All Blacks and Scotland clash at Murrayfield. Match preview by Liam Napier in EdinburghAll Blacks v Scotland – 3.10am, SundayIt’s time New Zealand paid Scottish rugby due respect. Maybe it’s historical arrogance forged on the All Blacks’ 121-year unbeaten record against the Scots. Maybe the misleading, irrelevant World Rugby rankings.Whatever the cause, Kiwis are often too quick to assume, too ready to dismiss, Scotland’s genuine threat. Nothing lasts for ever. Just ask Ireland and Argentina, two teams to smash their glass ceiling against the All Blacks in recent years.This generation of Scottish rugby is a world away from the easybeat teams the All Blacks humbled 62-31 in 1996, 69-20 in 2000, both at Carisbrook in Dunedin, or 40-0 in the 2007 World Cup pool stages and 51-22 in 2012 at Murrayfield.In the last 12 years, three of the past four tests between the All Blacks and Scotland at Murrayfield were decided by eight points, the other by five, to paint the true tale of the locals’ improvement.In recent times, particularly last year when they blew large leads against the All Blacks and Argentina at home, Gregor Townsend should have delivered more from Scotland. At this point, Scotland are yet to shake their nearly men tag while continuing to promise more. This year Scotland mustered three Six Nations wins including putting 50 points on the full-strength French at Murrayfield and defeating England to preserve an unbeaten home record this season. In July they pushed the Springboks in South Africa and knocked off the Pumas in Argentina to sit second, behind France, in the northern hemisphere Nations Championship table.Questions persist about Scotland’s ability to deliver repeat performances, to summon the decisive killer instinct, and whether they truly believe they can topple the All Blacks. Yet their backline threats alone – Finn Russell, arguably the world’s premier playmaker, classy British and Irish Lions midfielders Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones, dubbed ‘Huwipulotu’, and wing Kyle Steyn – can amass points quickly.With such generational talents in fine fettle, those flocking to the iconic Murrayfield again dare to dream. Doubts remain about whether this is their day, their moment, to savour history but Scotland may well prove a tougher test than England as cultural turmoil – akin to the internal ructions that ended Scott Robertson’s All Blacks reign – engulfs Steve Borthwick’s shaky tenure.Regardless of the result this Sunday morning (NZT), the time has come for New Zealanders to etch overdue respect on the Scottish rugby crest.All Blacks different beastExternal confidence for a famous upset in Edinburgh appears low as there is widespread recognition that the All Blacks are in a much better place than this time last year when the Robertson regime disintegrated at the seams. While this season is stress testing depth, with nine players ruled out for the year, the All Blacks’ revived attacking strike and demands for ferocious physicality at the breakdown signpost their marked improvements.Perhaps more importantly, though, they are fully aligned and united which should mitigate against another Murrayfield meltdown such as blowing a 17-point halftime lead and conceding three second-half yellow cards here last November.“They’re quite different from last year,” Scotland coach Gregor Townsend noted. “They’re playing more ambitious rugby and have a real sense of unity.”Inside oilOf their starting team to confront the All Blacks, five of Scotland’s side do not play for Glasgow Warriors. Three of those five – Australian No 8 Jack Dempsey, Russell and Jones – previously played for Glasgow. Three more Glasgow figures populate Scotland’s bench. On the one hand such an extended cohort from one team allows Townsend to draw on established combinations and cohesion.On the other, it gifts former Glasgow coaches Dave Rennie and Mike Blair a dossier of inside knowledge and, surely, a competitive advantage.Blair is as Scottish as they come. He grew up in Edinburgh before progressing to become Scotland’s most capped international halfback. More pertinent for this week, though, Rennie and Blair spent three years together coaching Glasgow. They know the Scottish rugby landscape, the mentality, passion, style, player tendencies and conditions, intimately. That matters.This week Rennie recalled handing Kyle Steyn his first start in the midfield at Glasgow – and that’s merely one example.“It’s been nice to sit back and look from afar at a number of those guys who we had at Glasgow kick on ... maybe not so good in the weekend, hopefully.” Rennie’s familiarity with Scotland and the people extended to attending an event with Glasgow sponsors and staff this week.“I had three great years here and loved it. We had a bit of a Q&A with Ryan Wilson and Mike Blair. We did a thing for a lot of the Glasgow sponsors and so on. It was really good to see a lot of the staff and a number of the ex-players turned up. They’re great people so it’s nice to be back.”Emotional driveThe sudden death of Logan Cadwallader, the All Blacks’ head of security and former Special Air Service soldier, last Sunday in Edinburgh cast a sombre cloud over the team this week. Cadwallader had been with the All Blacks for a decade. During that time he formed close bonds with past and present players and management that stretched far beyond touring duties to leave everyone involved hit hard by his passing. Earlier this week the All Blacks acknowledged his passing and allowed everyone time to grieve before attempting to channel that emotion. The team will don black armbands to acknowledge Cadwallader against Scotland, and they are determined to honour his service with a performance he would be proud of. “We’ve certainly talked about that. He wouldn’t be happy with us moping around all week and struggling to put in a performance,” Rennie said.“It’s been a tough few days. He’s such a good man, he meant a helluva lot to the team so there’s been a big emotional toll. We’ve had his brother Dwayne here and his best mate Nathan so it’s been a chance to get together and share stories. That’s helped, but it’s really rocked the squad. Our thoughts are with Nannette and the kids.”Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.Listen to Elliott Smith’s live commentary on Newstalk ZB Sport and iHeartRadio, or join the Alternative Commentary Collective on iHeartRadio and Radio Hauraki.