Scotland vs New Zealand date, start time & TV info
Date Saturday, November 8
Starts 3.10pm
Venue Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Competition Autumn International
TV TNT Sports 1, 3.10pm
Scotland aim to end a 120-year wait for a win over New Zealand when the pair meet at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Gregor Townsend has made wholesale changes from his team’s 85-0 win over the USA and they take on an All Blacks side who beat Ireland 26-13 last Saturday.
The Scots have been beaten by eight or fewer points in the last three meetings at Murrayfield and look well-equipped to push the Kiwis again.
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Scotland vs New Zealand betting tips & predictions
Best bet
New Zealand to win by 1-12 points
2pts 8-5 bet365
Scotland vs New Zealand preview
Can Scotland end 120 years of hurt? Can their ‘Golden Generation’ succeed where they and past sides have failed? Will Gregor Townsend’s decision to drop joint record try scorer Duhan van der Merwe pay off?
That was the big news to come out of Townsend’s team selection, the coach opting for the solid Kyle Steyn over Van der Merwe against New Zealand.
The latter scored a brace on his 50th appearance in last Saturday’s 85-0 win over USA and he was joined on 34 tries for his country by hat-trick hero Darcy Graham.
Graham keeps his place, but Steyn is selected due to Van der Merwe’s defensive shortcomings, while Sione Tuipulotu captains the side from the centres and D’Arcy Rae packs down at tighthead with fellow prop Zander Fagerson not fit enough to feature.
The Kiwis head to Murrayfield without injured captain Scott Barrett and his brother, centre Jordie Barrett, both of whom were injured in the opening half of last Saturday’s 26-13 win over Ireland in Chicago.
Travelling across the Atlantic won’t help the All Blacks, but the knowledge that they can continue to grind out victories will.
Their bench was particularly dynamic last Saturday and Damien McKenzie is again likely to be introduced to try and spark the game in the final 20 minutes, while Scotland’s tightheads Rae and Elliot Millar Mills may struggle to live with Kiwi counterparts Fletcher Newell and Pasilio Tosi.
However, Finn Russell and Tuipulotu are among the premier 10-12 combinations in world rugby and a back three of Steyn, Graham and Blair Kinghorn can match any.
The doubts come in the final quarter. New Zealand pulled away from Ireland in Chicago, with McKenzie so influential off the bench that he may have dissuaded Scott Robertson from trying to squeeze him into the side.
Scotland have been good enough to lose by eight or fewer points in the last three meetings, but the All Blacks can continue their 120-year unbeaten run against the Scots.
Key stats for Scotland vs New Zealand
♦ Scotland have never beaten New Zealand in 120 years
♦ The Scots have won five of their last six home Tests
♦ New Zealand have won the last three Murrayfield meetings by eight or fewer points
♦ Darcy Graham can set a new record of 35 tries for Scotland with a score on Saturday
♦ Will Jordan has scored 43 tries in 51 caps for the All Blacks
Scotland vs New Zealand team news and predicted line-ups
Scotland
Kyle Steyn starts on the left wing in place of Duhan van der Merwe. Zander Fagerson isn’t fit to feature so D’Arcy Rae starts at tighthead prop.
Line-up: 15 B Kinghorn; 14 D Graham, 13 R Hutchinson, 12 S Tuipulotu (capt), 11 K Steyn; 10 F Russell, 9 B White; 1 P Schoeman, 2 E Ashman, 3 D Rae, 4 G Gilchrist, 5 S Cummings, 6 G Brown, 7 M Fagerson, 8 J Dempsey.
Replacements: 16 G Turner, 17 R Sutherland, 18 E Millar-Mills, 19 M Sykes, 20 R Darge, 21 J Bayliss, 22 J Dobie, 23 T Jordan.
New Zealand
Scott and Jordie Barrett miss out, with Josh Lord and Leicester Fainga’anuku rewarded for impressing on the bench. Wallace Sititi also replaces Simon Parker.
Line-up: 15 W Jordan; 14 L Carter, 13 L Fainga’anuku, 12 Q Tupaea, 11 C Clarke; 10 B Barrett, 9 C Roigard; 1 E Groot, 2 C Taylor, 3 F Newell, 4 J Lord, 5 F Holland, 6 W Sititi, 7 J Savea (capt), 8 P Lakai.
Replacements: 16 S Taukei’aho, 17 T Williams, 18 P Tosi, 19 S Darry, 20 D Kirifi, 21 C Ratima, 22 M Proctor, 23 D McKenzie.
Scotland vs New Zealand betting odds
Sign up with bet365 to bet on Scotland vs New Zealand. Here are the latest odds for Saturday’s match.
Match winnerOddsScotland13-5New Zealand3-10Draw25-1HandicapoddsScotland +811-10New Zealand +810-11Tie16-1
Odds correct at time of publishing
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FAQs for Scotland vs New Zealand
When is Scotland vs New Zealand?
The match is being played on Saturday, November 8, and kicks off at 3.10pm.
Where is Scotland vs New Zealand being played?
The match takes place at Murrayfield, Edinburgh.
What is the match betting for Scotland vs New Zealand?
New Zealand are 3-10 favourites while Scotland are 13-5 and the draw is 25-1. The handicap is set at eight points.
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