Scotland player ratings: How Gregor Townsend’s men performed against the All Blacks at Murrayfield

Assessing the Scottish performances in their 25-17 defeat to the All Blacks at Murrayfield.

1 Pierre Schoeman – 6

The Scots scrum was meant to wobble under the All Blacks muscle, but Pierre Schoeman held his own, even bagging a lottery penalty out of Fletcher Newell. Carried the ball with heft.

2 Ewan Ashman – 6

Scored the 45th-minute try that sent the Scots on a 17-point charge, but he was daydreaming in the second minute when Josh Lord went on his run. Some questions about lineout work, but the All Blacks seemed reluctant to attack in the air. Got stuck in around the park.

3 D’Arcy Rae – 6

Big occasion for a bloke to play his second test, and he did all right. Scotland’s scrum stability suggested there’s probably more work to be done by Jason Ryan and co before the All Blacks trundle up to Twickenham next weekend.

4 Scott Cummings – 6

Was busy pointing somewhere else for some other defender to do something when Josh Lord picked up the ball from an early ruck and ran 30m to set up the All Blacks’ opening strike. Was well involved after that, an effective tackler for the remainder of the match.

5 Grant Gilchrist – 6

A solid shift of butting heads against Lord and Fabian Holland.

6 Gregor Brown – 6

Put in a mighty effort containing All Blacks attackers on short-pass runs (he clocked 14 tackles in the first half alone) and was a useful lineout target. Prominent in the third-quarter Scottish rising, but faded after that.

7 Matt Fagerson – 5

Makeshift opensider tackled plenty – making some telling hits on midfield runners. He was also a powerful ballcarrier, though never looked like tearing a hole in the defence. Shaded in breakdown work by the All Blacks loosies.

8 Jack Dempsey – 8

The best of the Scots, whose brightest moments often hinged on the highly charged No 8’s involvement. His terrific workrate had him prominent in open running and in the beefy chest-to-chest exchanges. Jack Dempsey’s two linebreaks for the match were matched only by Will Jordan, while his lineout intercept from Cameron Roigard showed A-grade awareness. He also threw the pass that drew Sititi’s sloppy yellow card.

9 Ben White – 6

Snappy, error-free delivery and an effective purveyor of the halfbacks’ curse, box kicks. Lively in second half, until replaced at 55-minute mark.

10 Finn Russell – 5

Highly rated playmaker threw a couple of early big, flat passes, showing intent on distribution, without threatening a linebreak. Often preferred kick-pass with inconsistent results. Landed a gem of a 50-22. On this showing, Kiwis will think he’s not worth all that UK hype. Brave lad – he finished the match with Tutankhamun-level strapping on his knee.

11 Kyle Steyn – 6

Got the nod ahead of the electric Duhan van der Merwe on the basis of defensive strength and took a try well. Defensive work was sound under the ball and over it, and in front of All Blacks runners. But teams that beat the All Blacks go hard on scoring points, not saving them.

12 Sione Tuipulotu (c) – 7

Skipper Sione Tuipulotu was heavily involved, carting the ball into contact 16 times. He worked on both sides of the ball – Tuipulotu’s 17 tackles were the most of any Scot. An accurate performance, though not particularly evasive.

13 Rory Hutchinson – 4

Never really threatened to carve up and a couple of his tackles didn’t stick, allowing the visitors to build momentum.

14 Darcy Graham – 4

Got involved in plenty, running hard and smart when chances came up. But Darcy Graham (and his teammates) will spend many an idle hour in the years to come wondering “what-if” about him spilling the ball over the line when Scotland were about to seize the lead. Untouchable for 20 minutes up until that moment, the Scots were out of the running thereafter.

15 Blair Kinghorn – 5

His wild forward pass blew a gem of an attacking opportunity in the 38th minute when the 14-man All Blacks were stretched. And he somehow left space for Damian McKenzie to score the decisive late try. He was also ineffective defensively when Wallace Sititi put Jordan through. But the big fullback’s charges with the ball in hand were productive and direct. Nice delivery to put Steyn away for his try.

Replacements:

16 George Turner – 4

Was unable to bundle pint-sized smiler McKenzie into touch when history was at hand.

17 Rory Sutherland – 4

His day got mucked about with an HIA check.

18 Elliot Millar Mills – 4

A bustling 25-minute stint that caught some of Scotland’s best moments and their worst. Got his mitts on the ball for a few grunty carries, but spilled a crucial one when Scots were hot on attack in 58th minute. The scrum held parity while he was out there – but probably should have gained an edge when shoving against seven men.

19 Marshall Sykes – 6

A late lineout steal and some defensive toil in a 25-minute run that saw the game slip away from Scotland.

20 Rory Darge – 4

Seldom sighted in a brief run during the final stages.

21 Josh Bayliss – 4

A 15-minute stint mainly filled with back-pedalling tackles.

22 Jamie Dobie – 6

Sharp distribution and option-taking when he came on for starting halfback White. Equally keen on box kicks.

23 Tom Jordan – N/A

On for star-power Russell, getting six minutes as a spectator while the All Blacks sorted things out.