All Blacks set to host Scotland after decades-long absence
Sunday, 7 December 2025
Dunedin in the running to host Scots in 2027.
Southern city likely to miss out on tests in 2026.
All Blacks will likely play seven tests before Rugby World Cup in 2027.
The All Blacks could finally welcome Scotland back to New Zealand in 2027 and Dunedin is in the frame to host the test, the Sunday Star-Times understands.
The All Blacks are set to play a seven-test program in 2027 before the Rugby World Cup starts - including a full Rugby Championship - due to the later starting date of the global showpiece.
That has opened the door for Scotland to play their first test against the All Blacks in New Zealand since 2000, in the final test before both nations begin their 2027 Rugby World Cup campaigns in Australia.
The likelihood of the test increased after the All Blacks and Scotland avoided each other in the Rugby World Cup draw on Wednesday night.
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The All Blacks were drawn in pool A while Scotland were drawn in pool D, and they are highly unlikely to meet each other in the knockout stages.
The two countries are therefore likely to view each other as excellent preparation for the Rugby World Cup, especially as recent results have shown there is little between the sides.
Dunedin, with its strong Scottish connections, would be the appropriate city to host Gregor Townsend’s side and the test would be a welcome addition to the Forsyth Barr Stadium calendar in the face of strong competition from Christchurch’s new Te Kaha venue.
The All Blacks-France test is likely to be the only test in the South Island next year and is likely to go to Christchurch, with the other two Nations Championships tests - against Ireland and Italy - bound for North Island venues.
Dunedin also missed out on Black Ferns tests next year, so the potential Scotland test in 2027 would be warmly welcomed in Otago.
Scotland would provide valuable opposition for the All Blacks before the Rugby World Cup and showed their quality during the eight-point loss in Edinburgh.
In the wake of that defeat, Scottish Rugby chief executive Alex Williamson gave an insight into the country’s raised expectation levels.
“The optimism going into the autumn says a lot about the development of the team and I think it would be folly for me to suggest that we weren’t all enormously disappointed not to come out of the games, particularly against New Zealand and Argentina, with at least one win,” he said.
“I personally, for what it’s worth, was really disappointed with the outcome of the New Zealand game, because I actually thought that we could have won that by 20 points.”
The All Blacks are also set to face Scotland in Edinburgh next year as part of the new Nations Championship tournament.
The All Blacks will play France, Ireland and Italy in New Zealand in July and England, Scotland and Wales in the northern hemisphere in November, before a finals weekend in London in late November.