Scotland to face All Blacks in rematch

Scotland are readying themselves for another attempt to overcome a long-standing hoodoo against the All Blacks this Saturday. It is a moment to look back at the team's journey since their previous encounter 12 months ago.

During that match, Scotland trailed 17-0 before fighting back to 17-17, only to be defeated by the late sorcery of Damien McKenzie. This result was added to the collection of Scottish rugby's 'Ones That Got Away'.

A 21-0 lead against Argentina later turned into a difficult defeat, leading to questions about the future of head coach Gregor Townsend. Pressure mounted further following a disappointing loss to Italy in Rome at the start of this year's Six Nations.

Since that time, Scotland have changed the narrative. They ended England's 12-game winning streak, scored 50 points against France, secured seven tries against Argentina in the summer and challenged world champions South Africa in Pretoria.

Jack Dempsey stated on the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast: "We can be the best team in the world for 20 minutes and we can be the worst team in the world for 20 minutes." The team hopes recent experiences will lead to more consistency.

Captain Sione Tuipulotu said: "We've been through a lot in the last 12 months, as a coaching staff, as a playing group and as a team." He added that the squad has had to support one another through defeats while celebrating landmark victories.

"I do feel like we've progressed a lot in the last 12 months. It's been those experiences that have allowed us to progress," Tuipulotu noted. He highlighted the recent match in Pretoria against the world champions as a vital experience for the squad.