Damian McKenzie heroics keep All Blacks on the Grand Slam track after Scotland challenge

Sunday, 9 November 2025

At Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh: All Blacks 25 (Cam Roigard try 3min, Will Jordan try 40min, Damian McKenzie try 74min; Beauden Barrett pen, 2 cons; McKenzie pen), Scotland 17 (Ewan Ashford try 46min, Kyle Steyn try 50min; Finn Russell pen, 2 cons). HT: 17-0.

Yellow cards: Leroy Carter (New Zealand) 33min; Ardie Savea (NZ) 46min; Wallace Sititi (NZ) 61min.

With the Grand Slam and a hefty slice of history on the line, supersub Damian McKenzie stepped up to save the day for the All Blacks in a stirring test match against a typically gallant Scotland side at Murrayfield on Sunday (NZT).

The All Blacks, who spent 30 minutes of a splendid contest a man down, had looked in a world of hurt as the Scots came roaring back from a 17-0 halftime deficit to level the test with 17 unanswered third-quarter points.

But right when the home side appeared headed inexorably for an historic victory, with Wallace Sititi the third New Zealander to be dispatched to the bin, in the 61st minute, for a yellow-card offence (a knock-on going for an intercept), up stepped the mercurial McKenzie to make three massive plays to secure the victory

The bloodied and battered replacement, who came on for crocked wing Caleb Clarke in the 44th minute, followed up a magnificent Fabian Holland lineout steal with a brilliant 70th-minute 50-22 kick from 60 metres out that secured a lineout for the All Blacks just five metres from the line.

A couple of set pieces later, the Chiefs talisman was somehow wriggling his way over wide on the left for the go-ahead score. It was a fabulous piece of finishing from the little back as he took Leicester Fainga’anuku’s offload and shook off Blair Kinghorn’s tackle attempt to tiptoe away from the sideline and put the All Blacks in front, 22-17.

But still there was time for the Scots to conjure a first ever victory over the All Blacks in 120 years of trying, with McKenzie unable to add the sideline conversion.

Then, Fainga’anuku capped another outstanding match by winning a massive penalty at the tackle, the clinical All Blacks matched upfield, won another infringement, and up stepped McKenzie to calmly slot a testing three-pointer to seal the deal. Cool as the other side of the pillow. Little wonder he was named player of the match, despite playing just 36 minutes as a second-half replacement.

The All Blacks will acknowledge they had to dig as deep as they have had to all year for the result, their ninth victory of the season, with their discipline putting them in a tight spot with that trio of yellow cards. But some staunch defence under pressure and then another strong finish from the impact brigade got them home.

It was a big test for young forwards Josh Lord and Wallace Sititi and both fronted massively, even if Sititi’s last play was that yellow-card knock-on. Lord made 18 tackles, was a strong lineout presence and set up the opening try brilliantly, while Siti was into everything, making 46 metres on 10 carries, beating 3 defenders and showcasing his skills splendidly.

Fabian Holland also put in another massive shift up front for the New Zealanders, while young No 8 Peter Lakai was a constant presence with a team-high 20 tackles made and 28m on the carry. The set-piece contest was an even one, but, crucially, Ardie Savea and his men shaded the breakdown battle.

In the backs Cam Roigard, with a try and 37m on the carry, was his usual influential self Fainga’anuku was a strong presence throughout and handled a late shift to the wing with aplomb, Will Jordan added to his remarkable strike-rate record with a 44th try in his 51st test and Caleb Clarke had a mighty first half before departing the scene early in the second with a head knock.

McKenzie, of course, showed exactly why he’s the ideal bench man for the New Zealanders.

Scotland were nothing short of magnificent as they surged back into an outstanding test with that withering third-quarter burst. Their effort and endeavour deserved better than another gallant defeat. Blair Kinghorn and Darcy Graham were the pick of a sharp back attack, while Gregor Brown and the outstanding Jack Dempsey led a splendid pack effort.

The All Blacks had started and finished the first half brilliantly to forge a 17-0 halftime lead that, on balance, was an outstanding reward for a pretty decent 40 minutes of football.

Scotland had their moments through the opening stanza, twice held up over the line as they attacked effectively with ball in hand round the middle stages of the spell, but were handed a lesson in precision finishing from a New Zealand side that shook off a 33rd-minute yellow card to wing Leroy Carter.

In-form halfback Roigard notched the first score, just a couple of minutes into the contest, when he finished a brilliant ruck break from standout lock Lord with a typically effective support line. Lord seized the moment superbly at the breakdown when he sensed the defence fanning, picked up and dashed clear to set up his halfback’s finish.

Then, in the shadows of halftime, the New Zealanders struck with a brutal blow for the Scots, attacking superbly off scrum, with Sititi capping an impressive first half with a superb run into space and a classy dummy and offload to Jordan for the finish.

But what looked a comfortable situation for the All Blacks turned to dust with a withering third quarter by the Scots as they came out of the sheds and blasted off 17 unanswered points, with tries to hooker Ewan Ashman and wing Kyle Steyn, to level the test at 17-17 and spark the capacity crowd into full voice.

Then, with the match in the balance, up stepped McKenzie, supersub extraordinaire, to snatch the contest from the Scots, first with his boot, then his amazing strength and balance, and finally again with his boot.

The All Blacks’ shot at a fifth Grand Slam remains on course, with England up next at Twickenham. Clarke, after failing his HIA, looms as the most significant injury defection.