Scotland opened their 2025 Pacific Tour with a narrow 29-26 victory over the Māori All Blacks at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei, New Zealand, on July 5. The match started with high drama as Sam Nock led the haka and then scored a try in the first 40 seconds to give the Māori All Blacks an early shock lead[1].
Despite the early setback, Scotland responded with two first-half tries from George Horne and managed to overtake the hosts, ultimately securing the win. The Māori All Blacks staged a spirited comeback, closing a 12-point deficit in the second half and bringing the game within three points in the final 15 minutes[3].
In a tense finish, the Māori All Blacks had sustained possession and were just meters from scoring after 28 attacking phases, but Scotland’s defense held strong and forced a turnover with the match’s last line-out in the 86th minute[7]. This result marked Scotland’s first victory against the Māori All Blacks after the New Zealand side won their previous meeting 18-15 in 2000[7].
The match was the first of Scotland’s summer series, with upcoming fixtures against Fiji on July 12 and Manu Samoa on July 19. The test was accessible to viewers via FloRugby streaming platforms, with free streaming for U.S. audiences also available on YouTube[1].