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Kia ora, Aotearoa • 16 Jan, 2026
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Why All Blacks lock Josh Lord has been given golden opportunity against Scotland
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VIDEO CREDIT: ALL BLACKS
- The All Blacks continue their bid for a Grand Slam against Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday morning (NZT).
- The fixture at Murrayfield starts at 4.10am (NZT) and will be broadcast live on Sky Sport. Stuff will have live updates from 4am.
- Scotland have never beaten the All Blacks in a rivalry that dates back to 1905.
Wing Mark Tele’a may have been forced to plunge his right arm elbow-deep into a bucket of ice after his team-mates and All Blacks coach Ian Foster had furiously shaken his hand after the win over Scotland in Edinburgh in late 2022.
Tele’a, on debut, scored two tries as the All Blacks, thanks to a flurry of points at the back-end, kept the unbeaten streak against the Scots intact with a 31-23 victory at Murrayfield.
It wasn’t pretty.
Scotland were ahead 17-14 at halftime. When Finn Russell kicked two penalties to give the hosts a nine point lead in the 62nd minute, the 61,200 people inside the stadium asked themselves if they were about to witness history in the making.
No. The All Blacks, unable to knit together a cohesive performance for the majority of the game, finally found their rhythm and clicked; tries to lock Scott Barrett, and Tele’a, along with a couple of conversions and a penalty from Jordie Barrett, did the job.
Scotland, as they had on a number of occasions in the past, had proved tenacious but, when it mattered, couldn’t muster up the required resistance as the players in the black uniforms produced repeat sets on attack.
The All Blacks may have been rewarded with another win – their 30th – in 32 matches (the other two results were draws) against Scotland, but it required a tremendous effort to close the deal.
The All Blacks deserve to the favourite to win in Edinburgh on Sunday morning (NZT). Their impressive record against the Scots can’t be ignored.
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But the All Blacks in 2025 remain an enigma; they can be capable of producing flashes of brilliance, and then play like confused swamp hens.
That was evident during their scratchy win over Ireland in Chicago last weekend. For about 60 minutes the All Blacks’ attack was dormant. When it sparked, thanks to the substitutes, everything changed.
Who has the most to prove for the All Blacks against Scotland on Sunday?
The performance of lock Josh Lord has the potential to have far-reaching consequences. In a good way.
Lord, whose career to date has been repeatedly disrupted by injuries, played 77 minutes against Ireland when Scott Barrett was forced off Soldier Field with a deep cut below his knee.
Instructed to take over the role of calling the lineouts, Lord stitched together a productive shift alongside fellow second rower Fabian Holland.
It was Lord’s second appearance this year, having been used as a substitute against the Pumas in Buenos Aires.
With the England test looming, and Barrett no certainty to play in London, Lord has a rare chance to prove to the All Blacks coaches why he should feature in their long-term plans ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Lord’s previous start in a test was against Argentina in Mendoza in 2023.
Lord and Holland have played a total of 19 tests. Holland, with 10 caps, is the senior lock.
Patrick Tuipulotu and Tupou Vaa’i are back in New Zealand, left out of the tour because of injuries.
Sam Darry, called into the squad after Tuipulotu was scratched from the original squad, has six test caps.
Did the All Blacks field a full-strength team when they played Scotland in 2022?
No.
Foster elected to hedge his bets ahead of the tour finale against England in London the following week, which meant asking halfback Aaron Smith, hooker Codie Taylor and centre Rieko Ioane to sit in the reserves.
Captain and openside flanker Sam Cane had already returned to New Zealand, having suffered a facial injury in the tour opener against Japan in Tokyo.
Veteran lock Sam Whitelock led the side in Cane’s absence.
Ardie Savea, who has been elevated to the captaincy because Scott Barrett is injured, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett and Ethan de Groot are the only members from the 2022 starting side who will be in the run-on XV on Sunday.
How was the win in 2022 received back in New Zealand?
Relief, for many people watching on TV, was probably the overriding emotion.
Gone are the days when New Zealanders can expect the All Blacks to land up north and give the Home Nations a decent tune-up. Ireland have changed the narrative significantly since their first win over the All Blacks in 2016, and England have always been a pugnacious opponent in London.
The Scots must be respected.
The All Blacks, whether they like it or not, are always under pressure to deliver a positive result. Especially against teams that never rolled them.
Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen fumed when the TV commentators called the match in Edinburgh in 2022, labelling it a “disgrace’’.
He said he hit the mute button.
He perceived the commentary to be too negative as the All Blacks floundered.
“In the end I just turned it off and watched it in silence,’’ Hansen said.
Have the All Blacks had any other close calls against the Scots in recent years?
Yes.
In 2017 the All Blacks were forced to scramble the jets when Scotland, with fullback Stuart Hogg at the peak of powers, almost produced a photo finish.
A late try to midfielder Huw Jones created all sorts of excitement at Murrayfield. One of the highlights for the visitors was a cracking tackle by Beauden Barrett on a flying Hogg.
The All Blacks won 22-17.
When did the All Blacks draw with Scotland?
In 1983 and 1964. Both in Edinburgh.
Stu Wilson was the skipper in 1983 as the All Blacks escaped with a 25-25 draw.
Wilson Whineray captained the tourists in the test in 1964.
The folks on scoreboard duties had an easy day on the tools on that afternoon. Score: 0-0.
Who do you think will win the rugby test between the All Blacks and Scotland in Edinburgh?
– Stuff
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