The Test match rivalry between the All Blacks and Scotland is one of the oldest in the international game, dating back to the New Zealand “Originals” tour of 1905. It is also one of the most one-sided: across 33 Tests, New Zealand has never lost to Scotland. Scotland has come agonisingly close, forcing two draws and pushing the world’s most successful rugby nation to the final minute more than once, but a first win still eludes them. This guide sets out the verified all-time record, the key results, the venues and how New Zealand fans can follow the fixture.
The most recent meeting came at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on 8 November 2025, when the All Blacks held off a spirited Scotland comeback to win 25-17 and keep a 120-year unbeaten run intact. For New Zealand supporters, the appeal of this fixture lies in that contrast: a proud, well-drilled Scottish side chasing a landmark result against opponents who keep finding ways to win.
Key Facts
| First Test | 18 November 1905, Inverleith, Edinburgh (New Zealand 12-7) |
|---|---|
| Tests played | 33 |
| Record | New Zealand 31 wins, Scotland 0 wins, 2 draws |
| Draws | 0-0 (1964) and 25-25 (1983), both at Murrayfield |
| Total points | New Zealand 978, Scotland 389 |
| Most recent Test | 8 November 2025, Murrayfield (New Zealand 25-17) |
| Usual venue | Murrayfield, Edinburgh (November tour) |
A rivalry that began in 1905
New Zealand and Scotland first met on 18 November 1905 at Inverleith in Edinburgh, during the tour of the “Original All Blacks” — the squad that gave the team its enduring black identity. New Zealand won 12-7 in front of a curious Scottish crowd, and the pattern set that day has proved remarkably durable. Scotland has consistently been a tough, well-organised opponent, yet has never quite found the extra score needed to beat the men in black.
For most of the twentieth century the fixture was played only occasionally, when a touring side happened to pass through. It became far more regular once the sport turned professional in 1995, slotting into the Northern Hemisphere autumn window each November alongside meetings with the other home nations. The tour of 1905 itself is a landmark in the sport’s history: those Originals played 35 matches in Britain, Ireland, France and North America, losing only once, and the tour did much to establish New Zealand as the benchmark for the international game.
From amateur tours to the professional era
In the amateur era the two nations might go years, or even a decade, between Tests. Scotland built a reputation for stubborn defence and disciplined set-piece play, the traits that produced the famous draws of 1964 and 1983. Since professionalism, the meetings have come thick and fast, and the modern Scottish team — sharpened by players competing in the United Rugby Championship and France’s Top 14 — has narrowed the gap in attacking quality, if not yet on the scoreboard. To understand how the current New Zealand side developed its style, it helps to read the wider story of New Zealand’s national rugby union team.
What keeps the fixture compelling is that the gap is smaller than the raw record suggests. Scotland has finished within a converted try of the All Blacks in several recent meetings, and the margins in 2017, 2022 and 2025 were all single digits at some stage of the second half. For New Zealand, that means the fixture is no longer treated as a routine tour stop; it is a genuine Test that has to be won on the day.
The all-time head-to-head record
The numbers make the rivalry’s shape clear. New Zealand has won every completed result bar two drawn Tests, and holds a heavy advantage in total points. The table below sets out the all-time position, followed by the standout individual matches.
- Tests played: 33
- New Zealand wins: 31
- Scotland wins: 0
- Draws: 2 (0-0 in 1964, 25-25 in 1983)
- Total points: New Zealand 978, Scotland 389
The 1983 draw is a notable footnote in rugby history: at 25-25 it remains one of the highest-scoring drawn Test matches ever played. Nineteen years earlier, the sides had ground out a rare 0-0 stalemate at the same ground. Those two afternoons are still the closest Scotland has come to a result, which is why the fixture carries so much emotional weight for their supporters. New Zealand’s broader dominance is documented in detail on the record page for New Zealand’s Test history.
Notable Results
| Date | Venue | Result | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 1905 | Inverleith | New Zealand 12-7 | The first meeting, on the Originals tour |
| 18 Jan 1964 | Murrayfield | 0-0 draw | A rare scoreless Test |
| 12 Nov 1983 | Murrayfield | 25-25 draw | Among the highest-scoring drawn Tests |
| 18 Nov 2017 | Murrayfield | New Zealand 22-17 | Barrett’s late cover tackle on Hogg |
| 13 Nov 2022 | Murrayfield | New Zealand 31-23 | Scotland led before NZ pulled clear |
| 8 Nov 2025 | Murrayfield | New Zealand 25-17 | McKenzie’s late try and penalty |
Memorable Tests at Murrayfield
Because Scotland has never played the All Blacks at a Rugby World Cup knockout and the fixture is usually staged in Edinburgh, most of the drama has unfolded at Murrayfield. Three modern Tests in particular explain why Scottish fans keep believing.
2017: the Barrett cover tackle
On 18 November 2017 Scotland threw everything at the world champions and trailed by only five points inside the final minutes. Fullback Stuart Hogg broke clear and looked set to score a try that could have levelled the match, only for fly-half Beauden Barrett to produce a last-ditch cover tackle metres from the line. New Zealand held on to win 22-17 in one of the tightest results of the professional era.
2022 and 2025: comebacks from both sides
In November 2022 Scotland led during the second half before New Zealand pulled clear to win 31-23. Three years later, on 8 November 2025, the roles were almost reversed. The All Blacks raced to a 17-0 lead through early tries from Cam Roigard and Will Jordan, but Scotland fought back after the break, scores from Ewan Ashman and Kyle Steyn and a Finn Russell penalty levelling the match at 17-17. Damian McKenzie settled it late with a try and a penalty, sealing a 25-17 win and extending the streak past 120 years.
How the two teams match up
These Tests are usually decided up front and at the breakdown rather than out wide. Scotland favours a fast, ball-in-hand attacking game built around quick ruck ball and creative distribution from playmakers such as Finn Russell. If New Zealand allows Scotland clean, front-foot possession, the Scottish backline is dangerous enough to punish it.
The contest for the breakdown and set piece
The All Blacks’ answer is to disrupt that supply: winning the collision, contesting the tackle area and slowing Scotland’s ruck speed so that New Zealand’s own outside backs get room to counter. For readers who want the mechanics, our guides to breakdown tactics and set-piece strategy explain how the ruck, scrum, lineout and maul shape a Test like this. In the backs, Scotland’s game plan is increasingly built around players earning a living overseas — a trend illustrated by scrum-half Ben White’s move to France, covered in our profile on whether Ben White has adjusted to life at Toulon.
What a first Scotland win would take
The recent Tests point to a consistent pattern in the results. Scotland has repeatedly built pressure and drawn level, only to concede the decisive score in the closing quarter — the McKenzie try and penalty in 2025 being the latest example. Closing out a lead against New Zealand demands three things Scotland has not quite sustained for a full 80 minutes: discipline at the breakdown to avoid gifting kickable penalties, accuracy in their own 22 so early points are not surrendered, and composure to hold a lead rather than chase the game. On the evidence of the past decade, the first Scottish win is a matter of finishing rather than a lack of quality.
Kicking and territory
Both sides lean heavily on the boot to control field position, and the Murrayfield weather in November often rewards the more accurate kicking game. Finn Russell’s range for Scotland and a rotating cast of New Zealand playmakers turn the exchange of kicks into a tactical duel that frequently decides where the pressure falls. Small margins — a charged-down clearance, a contestable box kick, a missed touchfinder — have swung several of these Tests inside the final ten minutes.
Where they play: Murrayfield and Eden Park
The rivalry’s home is Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Scotland’s national stadium and the venue for almost every recent meeting. Its 67,000-plus crowd and the pre-match rendition of “Flower of Scotland” create a genuinely intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams. Meetings in New Zealand are far rarer, but when they happen the backdrop is often Auckland’s Eden Park, where the All Blacks have not lost a Test since 1994 — one of the longest home fortresses in world sport.
- Murrayfield (Edinburgh): Scotland’s home ground and the usual host of the fixture; capacity around 67,000.
- Eden Park (Auckland): New Zealand’s most successful venue, unbeaten in Tests since 1994.
- Autumn window: The teams almost always meet in November, when New Zealand tours the Northern Hemisphere.
How to follow All Blacks vs Scotland from New Zealand
Fixtures are set by New Zealand Rugby and Scottish Rugby within the international windows agreed by World Rugby, so exact dates and kick-off times are confirmed closer to each tour. Kick-off in Edinburgh usually falls in the early hours of Sunday morning New Zealand time, so many Kiwi fans watch replays rather than live coverage.
Broadcast and fixtures
Sky Sport is the long-standing home of international rugby union in New Zealand and carries the All Blacks’ Northern Hemisphere tours live, with streaming through Sky Go for subscribers and the contract-free Sky Sport Now service. Free-to-air highlights are typically available afterwards. For confirmed dates, the best starting point is our regularly updated look at the All Blacks’ next game and upcoming fixtures.
How it compares to New Zealand’s other rivalries
Scotland is one of four home nations the All Blacks meet on their November tours, and the balance of power varies. New Zealand leads Scotland and Wales comfortably, while England and, in a Southern Hemisphere context, South Africa provide far sterner tests. Reading across the rivalries puts the Scotland fixture in perspective:
- The closely matched trans-hemisphere battle with the Springboks in New Zealand vs South Africa.
- The historically lopsided but occasionally shocking meetings covered in All Blacks vs Wales.
- The evenly contested modern rivalry set out in All Blacks vs England.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Scotland ever beaten the All Blacks?
No. In 33 Tests since 1905, Scotland has never beaten New Zealand. The nearest they have come are two draws: a 0-0 result at Murrayfield in 1964 and a 25-25 draw at the same ground in 1983.
What was the score in the most recent All Blacks vs Scotland Test?
The teams last met at Murrayfield on 8 November 2025, where New Zealand won 25-17. Scotland fought back from 17-0 down to level at 17-17 before Damian McKenzie’s late try and penalty sealed the result for the All Blacks.
When did New Zealand and Scotland first play each other?
The first Test was on 18 November 1905 at Inverleith in Edinburgh, during the tour of the Original All Blacks. New Zealand won 12-7, and that tour is where the All Blacks name and black strip took hold.
Where can I watch All Blacks vs Scotland in New Zealand?
Sky Sport broadcasts the All Blacks’ November tours live in New Zealand, with streaming available through Sky Go and Sky Sport Now. Because kick-off in Edinburgh is usually early on Sunday morning NZ time, condensed replays and free-to-air highlights are often available later the same day.
Why do the All Blacks have such a strong record at Eden Park?
New Zealand has not lost a Test at Auckland’s Eden Park since 1994, giving the team a powerful psychological edge whenever it hosts a fixture there. The long unbeaten run is one of the most famous home records in world rugby, though most New Zealand vs Scotland Tests are played at Murrayfield rather than in Auckland.
