Scotland’s Stuart Hogg reacts at full-time after suffering defeat (Picture: PA Wire)
Crestfallen Gregor Townsend rued Scotland’s inability to see out a historic victory as his side blew a nine-point lead over New Zealand with 20 minutes to go at Murrayfield.
The Scots looked on track for their first triumph over the All Blacks in 117 years of trying when they scored 23 points without reply to wipe out the visitors’ early 14-0 lead.
But late tries from Scott Barrett and Mark Telea turned the match back in the Kiwis’ favour and they eventually ran out 31-23 winners.
Head coach Townsend said: ‘I feel mainly disappointment. That will be the biggest lead we’ve had over New Zealand in history and we didn’t win.
‘You don’t get to play New Zealand too often and that’s the best chance we have had to beat them.
‘We scored 23 points to nil in a 50-minute period. With those margins you have to kick on and see out a win. We didn’t do that.’
Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend (right) speaks with Coach Steve Tandy (Picture: Getty Images)
Townsend praised his team for turning around the early deficit and said the turning point was losing Jack Dempsey to a yellow card.
‘We were nine points up and controlled a fair bit of our own destiny in those last 15 minutes,’ he said.
‘They are a good team and we let them get better field positions and penalties. We allowed them back in with a few errors. Yellow cards lift oppositions and that is when they did damage.’
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Townsend praised Finn Russell after the stand-off, who was recalled last week, was successful with all four of his kicks at goal, putting 11 points on the scoreboard.
He said: ‘His decision-making and goal-kicking were excellent.’
New Zealand coach Ian Foster said: ‘We were against a team that is on the rise. We were nervous about it, so I am delighted to get a good win.’
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‘You don’t get to play New Zealand too often and that’s the best chance we have had to beat them.’
