Scots to face All Blacks away in World Cup warm-up

Scotland will play the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time in 27 years as part of their preparations for next year's Rugby World Cup in Australia. Gregor Townsend's side will play their final match before the tournament in Dunedin before travelling to Australia for their World Cup Pool D opener against Uruguay on Sunday, 3 October. The Scots have not played an away match against the All Blacks since a 48-14 defeat at Eden Park in July 2000.

They were due to play a Test in New Zealand in the summer of 2020 which was cancelled amid the Covid pandemic. The sides meet at Murrayfield next month in the Nations Championship. As with the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, Scotland will also have home and away warm-up fixtures against France, preferring just three internationals leading into the tournament rather than the four they have favoured before previous editions.