Scots buoyed by AB hiccups
Scotland coach Andy Robinson knows his charges will face the ultimate challenge on Sunday but believes the All Blacks are far from invincible.
Robinson is drawing inspiration from the world champions’ two low points of the season – the 18-all draw with the Wallabies last month and 22-19 win over Ireland in June – ahead of the teams’ clash at Murrayfield.
Robinson said that whilst he has immense respect for the visitors, the Wallabies proved in the final Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane that the world’s number one ranked team are not immune to struggling under pressure.
“New Zealand made a number of handling errors,” Robinson noted.
“Probably more than I have seen from an All Black team in a long time, so if you can put their passing and the accuracy they have under pressure, then you can put them under pressure.”
Robinson, however, was quick to add that it would take a complete 80-minute performance from his team to record a historic victory over the New Zealanders.
“What we are going to try to do is not rocket science,” he said.
“It is going to be an 80-minute performance of getting stuck into them."
Robinson said the hosts will be looking to match the All Blacks physicality and play a smart tactical game.
"You've got to be able to go toe-to-toe with them. Ireland got very close," Robinson said, citing the Ireland’s last-gasp defeat in Christchurch.
"They scored early and were able to stay in the game; outstanding defence from Ireland on that day.
"You've got to be accurate inside your third and Ireland got caught out with one scrum at the end of the game."
Scottish Rugby, meanwhile, on Wednesday confirmed that the Test will be played in front of a sell-out crowd.
It is the first time that a match held at Murrayfield during the year-end window has reached capacity with more than 67,000 set to pack out the stadium.
