HAKA WATCH!
Codie Taylor, brandishing a traditional Maori blade, leads the pre-match challenge. This is met by a rousing chant of “Scotland, Scotland” as the home side stare on.
The teams are streaming out of the tunnel and into a delightful autumn afternoon in Edinburgh. They form the requisite lines for a moment of remembrance, with anthems to follow.
Officials for today’s match, if you want to prepare for who to be unreasonably and pointlessly angry at later.
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Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
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Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (England), Craig Evans (Wales)
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TMO (Television Match Official): Marius Jonker (South Africa)
“Historically this is probably Scotland’s best chance,” reckons Alistair Connor, “with a battle-hardened team, and an All Blacks side full of doubt. They were unconvincing in Chicago, against Ireland who are clearly past their best.”
“As a New Zealander living in France, I will be unpatriotically backing the Scots, but I’m aware that heroic defeat is what they do best.”
Some reading while you wait
Is there much optimism out there Scotland fans, or are New Zealand the one side you can never be too hopeful in the face of? And what about you Kiwis, are you less worried that some quarters suggest you should be?
Send answers to these questions and any others you fancy to to me on the email.
Teams
Scotland:
Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham, Rory Hutchinson, Sione Tuipulotu (c), Kyle Steyn; Finn Russell, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D’Arcy Rae; Scott Cummings, Grant Gilchrist; Gregor Brown, Matt Fagerson, Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: George Turner, Rory Sutherland, Elliot Millar Mills, Marshall Sykes, Rory Darge, Josh Bayliss, Jamie Dobie, Tom Jordan.
New Zealand:
Will Jordan; Leroy Carter, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Quinn Tupaea, Caleb Clarke; Beauden Barrett, Cam Roigard; Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell; Josh Lord, Fabian Holland; Wallace Sititi, Ardie Savea (c), Peter Lakai.
Replacements: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Sam Darry, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Cortez Ratima, Billy Proctor, Damian McKenzie
Preamble
National stereotypes often have some element of truth to them, but my experience of people from north of the border suggests the “dour Scotsman” trope does not. This erroneous view is never more evident than when applied to the subject of the Scotland national men’s team in the November tests. Like a crystal clear stream feeding a distillery producing bottles of an adeptly aged, 80% cask strength spirit of optimism, hope springs eternal from fans and commentators alike among the reddening leaves and mellow fruitfulness.
Past history suggests this is not misplaced as the Autumn has gleaned more Scotland wins than losses vs tier 1 opposition, including recent victories over Australia and current world champions South Africa. But, despite a couple of narrowish results in 2017 and 2022, a triumph over New Zealand has eluded the boys in blue. If rugby history has taught us anything, it’s that the Blackness is hard to overcome.
This year though the optimism has been slurped greedily from the bottle; with a Scotland team of very decent talent fresh off the back of a enlivening hammering of the USA ready to take on a not exactly vintage All Black outfit.
Could this be the one? Probably not, but we’re all here to find out, nonetheless.