Scotland 6 New Zealand 32: CHRIS HOY'S appearance on the field before the game was a reminder that Scotland have their sporting supermen but in the Edinburgh gloaming it was the All Blacks who freewheeled on the first lap of what they hope will be a grand slam tour of Europe
Frank Hadden's side had been buoyed by their win against Argentina in Buenos Aires; New Zealand's callow team, with three debutants in the pack, were there for the taking. But, at the end of a week in which the world turned, nothing here changed. Over 103 years and 27 internationals Scotland have never beaten the All Blacks.
The depressing thing for Hadden was this game was effectively over from the opening moments of the second half. Outhalf Stephen Donald launched a speculative kick from the 22 that eluded three defenders and bounced into the arms of Richard Kahui, who raced half the length of the pitch unopposed to score the visitors' third try.
If Scotland fail to beat South Africa on Saturday they risk losing their ranking in the world's top eight and the consequence could be that they are pitted against two leading countries in their World Cup pool in New Zealand in 2011.
No wonder there was a sombre mood in the Scottish camp after the game. The fact they have failed to cross the line at Murrayfield this year will not lighten that mood this week either.
"We put everything into that game and there are some sore bodies out there," said dejected flanker Jason White. "This week is massive for us and we need to improve. It was heartbreaking to make so many line breaks and not score a try. Yes, New Zealand are beatable but to win against them you need to play to your full potential."
Despite heaps of possession and territory and an overwhelming superiority in the scrums where Euan Murray, the Scotland tighthead, gave one of those debutants, the 6ft 5in, 20st Jamie Mackintosh, 55 minutes he will hope to forget in a hurry, Scotland failed to punch their weight.
Instead the All Blacks held them at bay for much of the game, absorbing the blows like a wily heavyweight against a game middleweight. A period just before the interval saw a series of scrums near the New Zealand line after young lock Anthony Boric had been sent to the sin-bin for diving into a maul. But Scotland could not capitalise and could not recover from the psychological blow.
New Zealand pounced on openings to cut the Scottish defence apart, from the moment Donald hoisted a pinpoint cross-kick to the corner after seven minutes for Anthony Tuitavake to break Chris Paterson's tackle and plunge over to when Boric ran 20 metres to score the fourth try seven minutes from time.
As White admitted, it is pretty disheartening when the All Blacks bring on Richie McCaw, possibly the best player in the world, after an hour and Dan Carter, easily the best outhalf, nine minutes later, just to ensure there is no funny business. It is also disheartening that the All Blacks can win so easily without really shifting through all their gears.
Yesterday, as they travelled to Ireland, they picked up the full-back Mils Muliaina, who had been granted a spot of paternity leave and was allowed to miss this match and the previous week's victory over Australia in Hong Kong. Graham Henry will shuffle his squad for the match at Croke Park but, with Carter and McCaw sure to start, the All Blacks' head coach has no shortage of aces.
• Guardian Service
SCOTLAND: Paterson; Evans, Cairns, De Luca, S Lamont; Godman, Blair (capt); Jacobsen, Ford, Murray, Hines, Hamilton, White, Barclay, Hogg. Replacements: H Southwell for Lamont (43 mins); A Dickinson for Murray, M Mustchin for Hines (both 54 mins); S Gray for White (61 mins); Murray for Jacobsen, D Hall for Ford (both 64 mins); D Parks for Godman, S Lawson for Blair (both 69 mins)
NEW ZEALAND: Toeava; Tuitavake, Kahui, Nonu, Rokocoko; Donald, Weepu; Ellis; Mackintosh, Mealamu (capt), Afoa, Boric, Williams, Read, Thomson, Messam. Replacements: C Jane for Toeva (42 mins); A Ellis for Weepu (52 mins); N Tialata for Mackintosh (55 mins); C Flynn for Meelamu, R McCaw for Thomson (both 60 mins); D Carter for Ellis (62 mins); R Filipo for Williams (64 mins).
Referee: W Barnes(England).
