Scott Robertson: 'We've canvassed it with the boys... we're all aware'

Scott Robertson is expecting a “game for the ages” on Saturday as New Zealand aim to preserve a 120-year unbeaten record against Scotland and take a second step towards a possible ‘Grand Slam’ at Murrayfield.

The All Blacks head coach said his squad were “proud” of their dominance against the Scots, having won 30 and drawn two of their 32 previous meetings since 1905.

But recent contests at Murrayfield have proved highly competitive affairs, with New Zealand winning by eight points in 2014, five in 2017 and eight again in 2022, when they needed a final-quarter comeback from 23-14 down to prevail 31-23.

“We know how big the occasion is this weekend,” Robertson said. “We’ve canvassed it with the boys to make sure we’re all aware [of the record]. There’s been a hell of a few games in the last few years, haven’t there?

“It’s come down to the wire, so full respect. We’re playing against a Scottish team with eight [originally selected] Lions in it, and, you know, there are some generational players there, so it’s going to be a game for the ages.”

Fixture

Internationals

Scotland

17 - 25

Full-time

New Zealand

All Stats and Data

Having lost two Barrett brothers, captain Scott and centre Jordie, to injuries sustained in Saturday’s 26-13 win over Ireland in Chicago, Robertson is likely to keep further changes to a minimum in what he said would be a “a fully respectful team to beat the Scottish”.

“They’re a quality team, we understand that, we know their strengths, and they’ll know ours,” he said. “They’ve got a pretty handy backline, haven’t they? They’ve got a couple of really good jacklers who can get over the ball, and a couple of good operators in the line-out.

“So they’ve got a really good balance in the squad, and they’re spread around a couple of teams. Also, playing in the [English] Premiership and stuff, it’s a highly experienced team, and high cohesion, and really motivated. It’s a big weekend.

“We’ll pick the strongest team we think for a really physical Test match.”

Robertson played in a 37-6 All Blacks victory over Scotland in Edinburgh in 2001, a game he remembers as “a hugely passionate affair”. New Zealand led 15-6 with 13 minutes left before late scores from Tana Umaga, Mark Robinson and the late Jonah Lomu embellished a rather flattering win.

But seven years earlier he forged some happy memories of Scotland in a three-month spell playing half-a-dozen games for club side Ayr as a 19-year-old, which followed a stint playing for Ulster outfit Ards in the 1993-94 season.

“I was playing a little bit of rugby over in Northern Ireland, and Ayr were looking for a couple of reinforcements at the back end of the season,” he recalled. “I came over and had a great time. It was only a few months; I probably played half a dozen games.

“It was a great part of my life, pretty carefree. You’re scoring tries under the Robbie Burns statue [in Ayr] there, and everyone was pretty welcoming. They gave me £50 if you scored a try, and they’d give you the £50, but you pretty much gave it straight back over the bar. It was well done, actually – they got a return on the investment!

“I get the odd message from a couple of the club battlers, to remind me they think they made my career! I’ll tell you what, the Guinness flowed, and we had some great times. It was a really great experience, and a fond part of my life. I really enjoyed Scotland.”

Robertson remembers watching a couple of games at Murrayfield during that period and thinking, ‘Oh, I’d like to come back here one day’.

Having done so as a player 24 years ago, he is back in Edinburgh as head coach of an All Blacks side aiming to build on the flashes of their attacking potential they showed in the final quarter in Chicago, with three tries to put away an Ireland side who led until the 62nd minute – despite an early 20-minute red card for lock Tadhg Beirne.

“We showed a lot of good attack, but actually finishing those opportunities has been a real focus for us,” Robertson added.

“We’d love to have got that last try as well [chalked off for a forward pass], just to show the amount of passes and connection. We had to play some footy and play fearless, and just finish a couple more opportunities, which we did.

“We’ve just got to start better, don’t we? Especially when you play Test footy, you don’t want to be playing catch-up. We did.

“We found a way. We had a great bench which came on and made a really good impact. There were parts of the game that we definitely need to tidy up, but we were really pleased with how we finished.”