Scotland is on the cusp of a historic victory over New Zealand, the 121st Test match in their long-standing rivalry. The previous 120 years have seen Scotland struggle to contain the All Blacks' potent attacking threat and were brutally reminded of just how far they are from beating their hosts by a 31-23 defeat in 2014.
The Scots were on the back foot early on, however, before managing to stem the tide of the New Zealand onslaught. They trailed behind for most of the match, but it was Scotland who gained an edge in the final quarter, scoring three unanswered tries that left New Zealand struggling to cope.
New Zealand head coach Ian Foster admitted his team's impressive second-half performance and praised their bench players, saying "They found a way to have two or three moments that were good enough to get us a comfortable win. Ireland didn't really threaten. I think Scotland will be better and England will be better."
A crucial question for Scotland boss Gregor Townsend is how best to prepare his team for this daunting challenge. Does he stick with the same backline as last week, or make some key changes in order to cope with the All Blacks' attacking might?
The Scots were on the back foot early on, however, before managing to stem the tide of the New Zealand onslaught. They trailed behind for most of the match, but it was Scotland who gained an edge in the final quarter, scoring three unanswered tries that left New Zealand struggling to cope.
New Zealand head coach Ian Foster admitted his team's impressive second-half performance and praised their bench players, saying "They found a way to have two or three moments that were good enough to get us a comfortable win. Ireland didn't really threaten. I think Scotland will be better and England will be better."
A crucial question for Scotland boss Gregor Townsend is how best to prepare his team for this daunting challenge. Does he stick with the same backline as last week, or make some key changes in order to cope with the All Blacks' attacking might?
The All Blacks are still gonna be way too strong for them. And what's with Ian Foster being so nice about it? It sounds like he's trying to butter up Scotland for their next match against Ireland... 
Gregor Townsend needs to bring in some new blood and fresh ideas if he wants to give the Scots a real shot at beating New Zealand. The current backline just isn't gonna cut it... 
. Scotland needs to make some major changes ASAP or risk getting annihilated again 
. Maybe Gregor Townsend should try a completely new backline, ditch the old guard and start from scratch 
. That would be my move... don't @ me 
. They showed heart and grit to come back from being on the back foot, and that's what separates the champs from the contenders.
. I'd say stick with what worked last week, but also don't be afraid to make some tweaks to their backline. They can't just rely on the same old approach that got 'em destroyed in 2014 
. The bench players did a great job of providing fresh legs and energy, so maybe Townsend should give 'em more playing time.
. Scotland's got this far on sheer determination and willpower, but now they need to bring that fire 
to the table against New Zealand. Bring it on! 
. But you know what's got me thinking? How can Scotland possibly prepare for this against England now? They've already had to deal with the All Blacks' attack once and it was a nightmare 
. I mean, Gregor Townsend's gonna have to make some tough decisions and think outside the box. Can't just stick with the same backline and expect different results... 
! I mean, 120 years of Scotland vs New Zealand is crazy! It's like watching a epic movie, you never know what's gonna happen next. The fact that Scotland was on the back foot for most of the game and then came back strong in the last quarter is just amazing. Those three tries they scored were like a dream come true 
. I'm curious to see how Gregor Townsend is gonna adjust his team strategy to take down the mighty All Blacks... maybe he should give some of those bench players a chance to shine? 
. i think its gonna b diffrennt game next wk tho, scotland's gotta be brave enuf to stick wit their plan and not get intimidated by ths all blacks team. gregor townsend needs 2 make some smart subs and adjust the backline ASAP 