Gregor Townsend admits Scotland had been the creators of their very own downfall as they slumped to a 43-21 defeat to New Zealand at Murrayfield.
The house aspect trailed by simply three factors at half-time however failed to fireside a shot in a dismal second-half show to increase their winless run on this fixture to 34 matches. New Zealand, in distinction, took full management after the interval and ran in three unopposed tries to win at a relative canter.
It was a brutal setback for Scotland who had come into the match with hopes of a victory after operating the All Blacks shut only a 12 months in the past. However Townsend conceded they hadn’t performed anyplace close to nicely sufficient and will haven’t any complaints concerning the eventual end result.
The pinnacle coach mentioned: ‘I’m clearly dissatisfied that we didn’t put one in every of our greatest performances on the market. You clearly put together to attempt to win video games however it’s extra about can we ship a efficiency we might be pleased with and our supporters might be pleased with. And it wasn’t there at this time. In order that’s irritating.
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu and Co look downbeat at full-time
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend was annoyed by his workforce’s efficiency
‘We have been in a superb place coming into the sport with how the gamers had educated. However we’d like extra time underneath strain and that’s what we’ve obtained at this time. This can be a giant studying for us. We will do higher within the first half. We may have been significantly better on the self-discipline aspect of the sport.
‘The frustration within the first half was how we enabled New Zealand to get into the sport by not having to try this a lot. The primary 10 minutes of the second half might be the place the momentum modified again.
‘It’s an actual credit score to the gamers that the way in which we play, we have now loads of possession, however we don’t flip over the ball a lot. Right this moment we did. That wasn’t ok and our self-discipline in gifting away 13 penalties isn’t ok.’
Scotland historically play a Tier 2 nation of their first match of the autumn however the creation of the Nations Championship has modified that, pitching them as a substitute into this difficult opener. However Townsend didn’t wish to blame that for the substandard efficiency.
He added: ‘It’s not an excuse for the way in which we performed. We’ve obtained to get again onside. We’ve obtained to roll away faster from the breakdown. I do know these have been the areas within the first half that gave New Zealand discipline place.
‘It’s clear that the Northern Hemisphere groups get higher because the season goes on. They get higher through the Six Nations, get higher by November and they need to be actually cohesive by the July Checks. It’s the alternative for the Southern Hemisphere groups, however we’ve obtained the benefit of taking part in at house.
‘It was one other nice assist the workforce obtained at this time, so it balances itself out. I’ve excessive expectations of the workforce. They’ve excessive expectations of one another and we didn’t ship them at this time.’
Captain Sione Tuipulotu was proven a second-half yellow card and admitted it was a contributing issue within the workforce’s collapse.
He mentioned: ‘I feel we’re simply actually dissatisfied. It’s not a lot the loss. It’s extra our inaccuracies within the first half and failing to capitalise on possession and territory after we have been down of their 22 into factors that’s irritating.
‘After which within the second half, and doubtless the entire recreation to be honest, our self-discipline wasn’t ok. We simply allowed them simple entries into our 22. So, it’s not a lot the loss that disappoints me proper now, it’s extra simply a few issues that we spoke about earlier than the sport and mentioned we have been going to ship on, we most likely simply didn’t at this time.
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‘Me getting yellow-carded most likely didn’t assist the workforce so much. A captain will get yellow-carded it’s not good for anybody. So I take full duty for that. I ought to have been on the sector there throughout that interval to assist the workforce. We simply most likely weren’t as aligned and on the identical web page transferring as a unit in that second half to place something collectively.’
Scotland will now have to attend one other 12 months for his or her subsequent likelihood to defeat New Zealand, a lot to Tuipulotu’s frustration.
He added: ‘It’s not a dialog I wished to be having after the sport. I’d slightly be having the dialog now that we created historical past. However I suppose the pursuit continues and we’ve obtained to regroup and go once more.
‘The extra we will play groups just like the All Blacks, the Springboks, these Southern Hemisphere groups, the higher I feel for Scottish rugby. Often they’re three and 4 years aside. The extra publicity we will need to taking part in the All Blacks, the higher for Scottish rugby usually.’
New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie felt his workforce’s efficiency had served as the right tribute to the All Blacks’ head of safety, Logan Cadwallader who handed away earlier within the week.
He mentioned: ‘We wished to win for him. This week’s been so much larger than rugby. It’s about acknowledging one in every of our brothers that had fallen and a husband, father and son, who was extremely revered in our group.
‘There was loads of emotion within the anthem and, trying throughout to the administration, how a lot they have been feeling it as nicely. So, there was positively a bit extra of a motivation there to entrance up within the jersey and signify house.’
