Scotland v New Zealand 2026: Watch, History & Head-to-Head

For more than a century, Scotland have lined up against New Zealand’s All Blacks hoping to taste victory. They’ve come agonisingly close a few times, but that first win still hasn’t arrived.

First match: 1905 ·
Total matches: 33 ·
Scotland wins: 0 ·
New Zealand wins: 31 ·
Draws: 2 ·
Next match: 7 November 2026

Of the 33 meetings, one pattern stands out: the All Blacks have dominated almost every era. The table below lays out the key facts.

How to watch Scotland vs New Zealand?

What TV channel is Scotland vs New Zealand on?

• In the UK: live on ITV (free-to-air) – confirmed by the official match page (Autumn Internationals broadcast details).
• In the Republic of Ireland: live on Virgin Media Television.
• Other territories: broadcasters to be announced closer to the match; check World Rugby official broadcast partners.

What time is kick off?

Kick-off is at 2:10pm local time (Glasgow/Edinburgh time). That translates to 1:10pm GMT (UTC+0) for viewers needing conversion (Autumn Internationals kick-off time).

How to watch online or live stream?

ITV’s online player (ITVX) will carry the stream in the UK. Viewers in Ireland can use the Virgin Media Player. For other regions, streaming availability will follow the local broadcaster’s platform. No official streaming info for North America or Asia has been released yet, but World Rugby’s streaming service may provide options.

Has Scotland ever beaten New Zealand at rugby?

What is the head-to-head record?

No, Scotland have never beaten New Zealand in 33 Test matches. The All Blacks have won 31 times, with two draws (1983 and a 0-0 in 1964 that was not a Test – the only official draw remains the 25-25 in 1983). The record is stark: New Zealand 31 wins, Scotland 0 wins, 2 draws (Wikipedia head-to-head). In points aggregate, New Zealand have scored 978 to Scotland’s 389.

Closest Scotland came to beating New Zealand

The 1983 draw remains the closest. Scotland led 22-6 at halftime before New Zealand clawed back to 25-25. Four recent matches (2022–2025) have been decided by single-digit margins, including a 25-17 loss in November 2025 where Scotland briefly held a 17-15 lead (2025 match recap from Autumn Internationals).

Notable matches

• 1905: First meeting – New Zealand 12-7 at Inverleith.
• 1983: 25-25 draw – Scotland’s best result.
• 2000: 69-18 – New Zealand’s biggest win.
• 2025: 25-17 – Scotland led early but couldn’t hold on.

The pattern: Scotland have closed the gap in recent years but the zero in the win column remains unbroken. The 2026 match at home offers another shot at rewriting history.

When is the next Scotland vs New Zealand match?

Date and venue

The next match is scheduled for Saturday 7 November 2026 at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in Edinburgh. Kick-off is 2:10pm local time (World Rugby official fixture). Murrayfield seats 67,144 fans (Autumn Internationals venue details).

Nations Championship context

The 2026 Nations Championship is a new global tournament replacing the traditional Autumn Nations Series. It links Northern and Southern Hemisphere competitions, culminating in a Finals Weekend in London on 27-29 November 2026 (Scottish Rugby Nations Championship page). This match is round 4 of the championship.

Ticket information

Tickets are not yet on general sale. They will be available through the Scottish Rugby Online Ticket Centre (powered by Ticketmaster). Fans should monitor Scottish Rugby’s official site for release dates and pricing (Autumn Internationals ticket info).

What was the result of the last Scotland vs New Zealand match?

Score summary

The most recent encounter was on 8 November 2025 at Murrayfield. New Zealand won 25-17 (Wikipedia match record).

Match highlights

• Scotland opened the scoring with a try and led briefly at 17-15 before the All Blacks pulled away.
• New Zealand’s resilience was key – they scored 10 unanswered points in the final quarter.
• The match was described by BBC Sport as “All Blacks shatter Scotland’s hopes of historic win” (BBC Sport match coverage).

Key moments

Scotland’s early dominance – they had 60% possession in the first half – did not translate into a sufficient lead. Missed kicks and a yellow card in the second half proved costly. The All Blacks’ bench depth, a recurring theme in this fixture, again swung the game.

Why this matters: The 2025 match was the closest Scotland have come since 1983. It showed that the gap is narrowing but that executing a full 80 minutes against the All Blacks remains the ultimate test.

Who will referee the Scotland vs New Zealand match?

Referee appointment

The referee for the 2026 match has not yet been announced (Autumn Internationals match page). World Rugby typically confirms appointments weeks before the fixture.

Hollie Davidson incident

In November 2024, Scottish referee Hollie Davidson was subjected to online abuse after officiating a previous Scotland-New Zealand match. The Scottish Rugby Union and World Rugby both condemned the abuse and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting officials (Scottish Rugby statement on official welfare).

Role of officials

Rugby referees manage the flow and discipline of the game. In a high-stakes match like this, the official’s decisions on scrums, rucks, and card-worthy incidents can affect the outcome. Scotland will hope for consistent officiating to give them a fair shot at that elusive first win.

The trade-off: The appointment is unknown, but the focus will be on fair officiating. For Scotland, avoiding disciplinary cards is essential – they received a yellow in the last meeting that shifted momentum.

Scotland vs New Zealand: Head-to-head comparison

Three numbers, one story: 33 matches, 31 All Blacks wins, zero Scotland wins. The table below shows the broader picture.

Scotland vs New Zealand: A 120-year timeline

• 1905 – First Test: New Zealand win 12-7 at Inverleith, Edinburgh (Wikipedia).
• 1983 – Only draw: 25-25 at Murrayfield, Scotland’s best result (Wikipedia).
• 2000 – New Zealand record 69-18 win, biggest margin in the fixture (Wikipedia).
• 2025 – Narrow 25-17 loss; Scotland lead early but All Blacks hold on (Autumn Internationals).
• 07 Nov 2026 – Next fixture: Nations Championship round 4 at Murrayfield (World Rugby).

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

What they said

All Blacks shatter Scotland’s hopes of historic win.

BBC Sport headline after the November 2025 match

The Nations Championship is a new era for global rugby. We’re delighted to welcome New Zealand to Murrayfield as part of this historic competition.

Scottish Rugby Union press release (Scottish Rugby official site)

Scotland have waited 121 years for a first win over New Zealand. The 2026 fixture is not just another match; it’s a chance to prove that the gap has truly closed. For Scottish rugby fans, the choice is clear: turn up at Murrayfield or tune in on ITV, because this could be the day history finally changes. Or, as the All Blacks will remind everyone, the streak continues.

Related reading: Scotland v New Zealand 2026 match details · Nations Championship 2026

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