Scotland hold on to beat Maori All Blacks in tour opener
Scotland held off a Maori All Blacks fightback at the death to hang on to a slender lead and win a nail-biting first game of their summer tour to New Zealand.Adam Hastings' first-half penalty proved to be crucial, with both sides scoring four tries and three penalties in Whangarei.The Scots have not toured New Zealand in 25 years and, although this was a non-capped international, both sides played with typical Southern Hemisphere flair throughout.The hosts enjoyed more possession, made more metres and re-arranged more ribs than their visitors, but Gregor Townsend's side were a little more clinical in attack and produced a huge defensive set at the last to clinch victory.And, while the side was predominantly made up of Scotland's second-string, with stars like Jamie Ritchie, Rory Darge, Darcy Graham and Tom Jordan rested for the next two games against Fiji and Samoa, they had to produce their best to see off the Maoris.
Although the next two games of Scotland's travels have taken on more importance due to world ranking points, the tourists might not face a sterner test than the one they had in northern New Zealand.The pace was set early and tries were traded quickly. Maori scrum-half Sam Nock scored in the opening minute before Harry Paterson dotted down an Ollie Smith grubber-kick that unlocked the hosts' blitz defence.George Horne scored after his box-kick caused chaos, but then Isaia Walker-Leawere hit back while the Scots were under pressure and replacement Alex Masibaka was sent to the bin.Despite going down to 14 men, it was the visitors who went in ahead at the break. Stafford McDowall's superb 50-22 kick got Scotland up the pitch and another Smith kick-through sent Arron Reed over the line.The Maoris started the second-half in harum-scarum fashion, going down to 13 men when TK Howden and Bailyn Sullivan both committed yellow-card offences, but Scotland could only score five points in that 10-minute spell.It might have been the try of the day, though. Striking from deep, Rory Hutchinson released Reed with a cat-flap offload and the speedy winger found Horne in support for the scrum-half to score his second.As soon as the Maoris were back to their full compliment, they went to wiping out the advantage the Scots had built. Captain Kurt Eklund scored from the back of a driving maul and then Gideon Wrampling went over in the corner after a superb Daniel Rona 50-22 put the hosts into a great position.It was a three-point game and Scotland had the ball in their mitts in the 79th minute as they looked to see it out. It is never so simple with this team, though.The Maoris won the turnover and launched phase after phase of attack. The Scots creaked, Cam Henderson was sent to the bin, the clock was deep in the red at the 85-minute mark.However, having held out on their own line, they capitalised on a slack pass and the back-line piled into a ruck to win the ball back and secure a famous victory on the North Island.
Line-ups
Maori All Blacks: Z Sullivan, Forbes, B Sullivan, Wrampling, Rona; Reihana, Nock; Proffit, Eklund (c), Sykes-Martin, Shalfoon, Walker-Leaware, Howden, Brown, Grace.Replacements: Devery, Rakete-Stones, Kumeroa, McWhannell, Delany, Hauiti-Parapara, Trask, Evans.Scotland: Smith, Paterson, Hutchinson, McDowall (c), Reed, Hastings, Horne; McBeth, Harrison, Richardson, Sykes, Henderson, Bayliss, Onyeama-Christie, Muncaster.Replacements: Turner, Hepburn, Hurd, Williamson, Brown, Masibaka, Burke, Dobie.Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia).
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Daily Mail
38 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Townsend praises defensive effort as Scotland hang on to beat Maori All Blacks 29-26 in tour opener
Maori All Blacks 26 Scotland 29 GREGOR TOWNSEND praised a huge defensive effort from his players as Scotland held firm to beat the Maori All Blacks in a thrilling contest in Whangarei. Scotland led 29-12 at one point during the second half and looked good value to go on and secure a commanding victory. But, with both teams throwing the ball around and playing some excellent attacking rugby, the Maori All Blacks fought back to tee-up a nail-biting finale. They went through 27 phases right at the death as the clock went deep into overtime, pummelling away at Scotland's defensive line. But the visitors held firm to secure a first-ever win over the Māoris, ensuring that their summer tour started in a positive fashion. 'It would have been devastating to lose at the end having led for so long, so we're glad we saw it through. The defence was excellent,' said Scotland head coach Townsend. 'The Maori put us under a lot of pressure at the end and really came back at us, but we found a way to win. 'Jamie Dobie and Fergus Burke were massive for us at the end and really helped us win the turnover to shift the momentum. 'I was so proud of the effort, especially at the end of the game. The players showed what playing for Scotland means to them. 'We knew it would be tough. The Maori All Blacks have a good record against international teams, especially at home. 'The players don't officially win a cap, but that was a Test match in terms of the quality and physicality we faced. 'The Maori are a quality side and we decided to put a team out that wasn't as experienced, knowing it'll be a great development and learning experience for them.' Scotland will now head off to face Fiji in Suva next weekend, before returning to New Zealand to face Samoa in Auckland. 'We know next week will be an even tougher test,' added Townsend. 'We are playing a Fiji team who have some outstanding individuals and are ranked in the top 10 in the world. 'We will make some changes to the team next week, but this was a good win that sets us up nicely for the next two games.' Stafford McDowall captained Scotland against the Māoris and had a fine game in the centre alongside Rory Hutchinson. Indeed, all of Scotland's backline played well, with Ollie Smith also impressing at full-back on his first Scotland appearance since the 2023 World Cup. McDowall believes this was a game that Scotland could well have lost in the past, but praised the resilience and mental fortitude of the team to dig in and get the win. 'That was two teams just chucking everything at each other for 80 minutes,' he said. 'I'm so proud of the boys for the defensive shift towards the end against a really good team. 'We spoke at half-time about putting ourselves in a good position, but we knew the Māoris were going to come back at us. 'We probably lost control a little bit for 15 or 20 minutes and they managed to score a couple of tries. 'In the past, we might have lost that game. But I'm proud of how we were able to dig in and get the win. 'This was an opportunity to launch the tour with a good start and thankfully we were able to do that.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
All Blacks hold off depleted France in thriller and Wales slump again in Japan
Will Jordan scored a try in each half and Beauden Barrett kicked to perfection as New Zealand overcame three cancelled tries to claim a nervous 31-27 win over France in the series-opener in Dunedin. Fielding only three players from the Six Nations title-deciding win over Scotland, the depleted France side gave Scott Robertson's team a huge scare in an entertaining match at a sold-out Forsyth-Barr stadium. However, a late Barrett penalty proved enough for the All Blacks to hold on, ending a three-match losing streak against Les Bleus. 'Just a typical Test match against the French for us,' said Jordan, who was denied a hat-trick try by the television match official. 'A couple of errors cost us … But we showed good composure to finish it off in the end there.' The All Blacks lost Sevu Reece to a head-knock less than a minute in when the wing clattered into a French hip, forcing Robertson into a backline rejig and Damian McKenzie to play at full-back off the bench. The French had a better start, with the debutant fly-half, Joris Segonds, booting a penalty in the seventh minute after Gabin Villière won a turnover penalty. France charged out to a 10-0 lead as Théo Attissogbe made a break down the left wing, Gaël Fickou drove the ball to the line and Mickaël Guillard crossed by the right post. Chastened, the All Blacks hit back hard. A Jordie Barrett try was denied by a knock-on in the buildup, but minutes later his brothers combined for their first legal try. Scott Barrett charged down a French clearing kick behind the 22m line before Beauden put Jordan over at the right corner with a superb, loop pass. McKenzie kept the momentum for the hosts, shrugging off four would-be tacklers with a jinking run to the posts before Tupou Vaa'i barged over to put the All Blacks four points up. The Barrett brothers struck again just before half-time, this time with Jordie touching down at the right corner after quick hands from Beauden and Jordan. The All Blacks' 21-13 lead all but disappeared within minutes of the restart, though, as Rieko Ioane spilled the kick-off ball forward to gift France a scrum deep in attack. Battering away for 16 phases, Segonds spread the ball wide to Villière who jogged through a gaping hole in the All Blacks' line on the right. The try-fest continued as Jordan burst through two defenders to cross for his second, with Beauden Barrett again setting up the chance. Fresh off the bench, Cameron Woki then crossed under the posts to peg back the All Blacks again. The pendulum swung back to the hosts with Villière shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. A minute later, Billy Proctor stretched an arm over the line – only for the try to be cancelled as replays showed an illegal grounding of the ball. The undermanned French soon buckled again, with Jordan seemingly crossing for his hat-trick try in the 63rd minute. But it was erased by the TMO, who spotted Pasilio Tosi obstructing a French defender in the buildup. Wales's interim head coach, Matt Sherratt, said his players were hurt by an 18th successive Test defeat as Japan recovered from a 12-point deficit to inflict further misery on the beleaguered tourists. Sherratt's side led 19-7 at the interval in Kitakyushu through tries from Ben Thomas and Tom Rogers, as well as a penalty try, and were in sight of claiming Wales' first win for 21 months. But Eddie Jones' Brave Blossoms stormed back in sweltering conditions, with the temperatures reaching 34C alongside a very high humidity reading, to win 24-19 and register only their second ever victory over Wales. 'I think you could see the feelings pitchside, not just the squad but the whole staff,' said Sherratt of the scenes at the final whistle. 'To have a 19-7 lead in the first half and to lose the game at the end is obviously very disappointing. It hurts. Already we've got to quickly use that hurt to fuel next week. The great thing about this tour is we get a chance next week to put it right.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Gregor Townsend was pleased to see Scotland's summer tour 'start on a positive' after his side held on to claim a 29-26 win against the Māori All Blacks in Whangarei. Having got off to a shaky start when Sam Nock crossed for the hosts, Scotland were able to clinch victory in the non-cap international with tries from Harry Paterson, Arron Reed and two either side of the break from George Horne. In a late scare the Māori reduce Scotland's lead to three points with 10 minutes to play, but Townsend was pleased to see his less experienced side prevail in Whangarei. The head coach said: 'The Māori are a quality side and I suppose we decided to put a team out tonight that wasn't as experienced knowing that it'll be a great development and learning experience for them. But we also wanted to win this game and we're so pleased that we did win the game and how we set that win up in the first half – how clinical we were. And then the pressure around set pieces and our defensive effort at the end saw us through. So, we're really pleased that the tour starts on a positive.' Hong Kong beat South Korea 70-22 in Incheon to win the Asia Rugby Championship and qualify for the World Cup for the first time. Hong Kong sides have got to the final stage of qualifying for the last two World Cups only to fall short but will now take their place at the expanded 24-team showpiece tournament in Australia in 2027. The United Arab Emirates beat Sri Lanka 29-21 in Colombo on Friday to finish second in the championship and will play off against an African nation in July for a spot at the final World Cup qualification tournament. Hong Kong are only the second team from Asia to get to the World Cup after Japan, who have already qualified after finishing third in their pool at the 2023 tournament in France. This story will be updated with later matches
Times
an hour ago
- Times
NSW Waratahs v British and Irish Lions live: score, commentary, updates
We need a bit more atmosphere at these games. It's all been a bit flat and friendly. Hopefully the more raucous travellers are on their way and up for it. A mild boo greets Mack Hansen's name, as it is read out by the stadium announcer. Not quite the thunderdome yet. We were chatting last night, our tourists, and realised that we have a month left in Australia (Will Kelleher writes). With the whirlwind start to the tour it feels like we've been here a month already! Two games, three cities, two sets of laundry done, and two 50+ point wins for the Lions. What state will they be in when they return to Sydney in the final week of the tour? Will we have a series winner already, or will it all be in the balance? There is so much left to go until that point, so many fascinating twists and turns. Let's just hope the Lions don't go three-for-three for horrible injuries against the Waratahs tonight. Not sure that it's up to the Lions head coach to tells fans to cut the 'nonsense' regarding the selection of Owen Farrell. Free speech and all that… The Waratahs' 2025 season has been powered by some seriously talented stars. Captain and powerhouse No8 Langi Gleeson has led the charge with dynamite performances, snagging Player of the Year honors. Young speedster Max Jorgensen has dazzled fans with his lightning pace and tryscoring flair, while former NRL ace Joseph Suaalii brings raw power and versatility when fit. Front-row beast Angus Bell has bulldozed scrums, and crafty centre Tom Banks has been a creative spark in midfield. But, as with all Lions tours, not all of them are available to take on the men in red tonight. So, the Waratahs will have to dig deep into their bench and rely on fresh faces to try and keep the Lions at bay — no easy task, but hey, that's rugby! In 2025, the Waratahs experienced a season of highs and lows, ultimately falling short of play-off contention. Under new coach Dan McKellar, the former Leicester Tigers main man, they began the Super Rugby Pacific campaign with promise, securing victories against the Western Force and the Brumbies, including a notable 28–23 win that ended a 13-match losing streak against the Brumbies. A standout moment came with a remarkable 102-metre team try in a 21–14 upset over the Chiefs. However, inconsistency marred their season. Heavy defeats to the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika highlighted defensive vulnerabilities, and a crushing 46–6 loss to the Blues dashed their playoff hopes. Despite these setbacks, the emergence of young talents like Max Jorgensen and the return of Joseph Suaalii injected excitement into the squad. While the season ended without finals qualification, the Waratahs showcased glimpses of potential that could bode well for the future. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. A couple of Ireland behemoths have been chatting before the game in Sydney. 'Everyone wants to put their hand up for tests but at the moment we just want a good team performance,' Tadhg Beirne, tonight's captain, said. 'We have shown massive improvement each week and the goal now is to improve on Wednesday. 'Maro [Itoje] is an incredible leader and player, it's no surprise the performance he's producing at the moment. If I can do half of what he does I'll be doing alright.' And also Josh van der Flier. 'It's been pretty busy, the first time since I was in school that I am playing three games in a week. A good few of us watched on Wednesday and there is definitely a bit of, not pressure, but expectation tonight to do the same. 'The Tahs are a very good set up, they will be well glued together after a season together. We had prepared for [Pollock injury], Andy had said at very start, it's the nature of these tours, backing up games, everyone was ready to fill in at any stage.' Pollock is a big draw card in Australia (Stuart Barnes writes). The expats of Paddington and Bondi Junction are mightily miffed at his late withdrawal. Oh well, at least he won't end up forcing me to change my writing plans and muse on the man of the moment…even writers need flexible plans. Like Finn Russell on the field. On the match: this is not a vintage `Tahs team and the Lions should be judged solely on quality of performance, not the result. Anyway, Kate, Mike, Ollie and Matt and his drinking buddies, sorry about Pollock… Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Andy Farrell has been shedding light on the Henry Pollock injury. 'Henry has a slight problem, nothing too serious,' he told Sky Sports. 'So we reshuffle back to a 5-3 bench. 'We are in the thick of it now, the games are rolling. We are hoping to see improvement. What does that look like? Game after game lads are stepping up. We got a reaction from the Force, and we want to see that again tonight. 'It's a special night for those three (Hugo Keenan, Ben White, Blair Kinghorn) and their families so we've got to make sure we do them justice. It's important that they show each other how collective they are as a group, trying to connect as a team.' Andy Farrell has told British & Irish Lions fans to cut the 'nonsense' around his son, Owen, having called him up for a fourth tour (Will Kelleher writes). Owen Farrell, 33, will replace the injured Elliot Daly, 32, who broke his arm on Wednesday against Queensland Reds and then flew home on Thursday from Sydney. Daly is the second member of the squad to be injured on this tour after the scrum half Tomos Williams tore his hamstring against the Western Force last Saturday. Farrell last played for England at the 2023 World Cup. He was roundly booed by fans in France as the furore over his pre-tournament red card for a high-tackle on Wales' Taine Basham in a warm-up game grew toxic. He suffered badly with his mental health at the World Cup and subsequently stepped back from Test rugby, having won 112 caps. In 2024 he moved to the Top14. ● Read more: Andy Farrell: No more nonsense — Owen is here to compete for Test place Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. There are numerous reasons to question the selection of Owen Farrell as a replacement for the British & Irish Lions but nepotism is not one of them (Stuart Barnes writes). His father, Andy, probably considered the cons for longer than the pros. Three tours, six Lions caps and a ferocious determination to win all weigh in his favour. None of the factors can be lightly dismissed (and are not) but all of these unquestionable positives are historic. Take the past out of the equation, strip away the reputation and consider the present, and you are left with one of the most bewildering selections. The past season is impossible to ignore. Next to nothing went right in France for the former England captain, who was hampered by a groin injury. The impact upon a fly half with a propensity to kick a ball cannot be underestimated. Practice does not make perfect but it makes a bloody big difference. Guys with groin injuries cut back on their kicking. They also work less on their speed. ● Read more: Nepotism? No, but Owen Farrell call-up is delusional and defies logic Breaking news from Sydney: Henry Pollock has pulled out of the game with a tight calf (Alex Lowe writes). The Lions say it just precautionary. Tadhg Beirne moves to blindside flanker, Scott Cummings starts and the Lions have to ditch their plan for a 6-2 bench, with Duhan Van Der Merwe coming into the 23. That switch, while unfortunate for Pollock, gives the Lions more of a Test match balance because the guesstimate at this stage is that Andy Farrell will play a big lump at six. Ollie Chessum is in good shape to fill that role because he is in line to start against the Brumbies on Wednesday. There will be a groan around the stadium when this change is announced, though. The Aussie public are excited about Pollock. Not sure if you've heard, but apparently Andy Farrell has called up Owen Farrell for his fourth British & Irish Lions tour. Huge news if true! Amazingly, it has not been quiet acceptance that has greeted the revelation. Some people are mad for it, some have shouldered the responsibility of being against it. Here are just a few viewpoints… Hugo Keenan, Blair Kinghorn and Ben White will all make their Lions debuts as Tadhg Beirne captains the side. Keenan was meant to start in Brisbane against the Queensland Reds on Wednesday but fell ill. Elliot Daly came in for him at the last minute but broke his arm and has gone home. Keenan has recovered to wear the No15 jersey for the Waratahs match, with Kinghorn named on the left wing — his position for Toulouse. Kinghorn arrived from Paris, having won the Top14 final last Saturday. Henry Pollock comes in to play No6 in a dynamic back-row alongside Ben Earl, at No8, and Josh van der Flier at openside flanker. Pollock has now started in all three back-row jerseys on this tour, proving his versatility. Ben White, who was an injury replacement for Tomos Williams, who was sent home after tearing his hamstring against the Western Force, makes the bench for the first time. Andy Farrell, the head coach, has gone for a 6-2 split among the substitutes with Marcus Smith the only other back. Before we get cracking with the details, let's remind you of the team news. Waratahs 15 Laweson Creighton, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Lalakai Foketi, 12 Joey Walton, 11 Darby Lancaster, 10 Jack Bowen, 9 Teddy Wilson; 1 Tom Lambert, 2 Ethan Dobbins, 3 Taniela Tupou, 4 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Miles Amatosero, 6 Rob Leota, 7 Charlie Gamble, 8 Hugh Sinclair (capt). Replacements: 16 Mahe Vailanu, 17 Jack Barrett, 18 Daniel Botha, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Jamie Adamson, 21 Jack Grant, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Henry O'Donnell. British & Irish Lions: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Finlay Bealham, 4 Tadhg Beirne (captain), 5 James Ryan, 6 Henry Pollock, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Ben Earl. Replacements: 16 Dan Sheehan, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Scott Cummings, 21 Jac Morgan, 22 Ben White, 23 Marcus Smith. Oh I love the smell of British & Irish Lions in the morning. G'day and welcome to The Times' coverage from Brisbane as the British & Irish Lions travel to Sydney to face the Waratahs in the fourth match of the 2025 tour and the third down under. We will have all the action from on and off the field with our reporters down on the ground in Australia. It should be a cracking affair.
