Scotland 'need Next Step' After New Zealand Pain

"The triumph was there. We cognize nan triumph was there."

Head coach Gregor Townsend was afloat of pridefulness successful Scotland's showing against New Zealand but near deflated by a 25-17 defeat astatine Murrayfield.

The hosts trailed 17-0 astatine nan interval, only to large wind backmost and tie level connected nan hour.

However, nan All Blacks, who had 3 players sent to nan misdeed bin, struck precocious done Damian McKenzie to contradict Scotland nan chance of a first triumph successful this fixture.

"I'm really disappointed first of all, because nan effort that went successful that 2nd half capacity was each character," Townsend told BBC Scotland.

"We needed to footwear connected erstwhile it sewage to 17-17 and location were a mates of large moments that swung New Zealand's way.

"Outstanding 2nd half, we showed who are coming and we astir apt showed who we are not getting nan triumph arsenic well.

"There's maturation successful this squad and we person to triumph those large moments erstwhile nan crippled is location for us.

"Elements of that capacity show we are up location pinch nan champion teams successful nan world. We conscionable request to make that adjacent step."

Tries from Ewan Ashman and Kyle Steyn hauled Scotland backmost into an absorbing contest.

Darcy Graham and Rory Hutchinson had been held up complete nan statement successful nan first half erstwhile Cameron Roigard and Will Jordan scored for nan visitors.

"Teams get tired erstwhile you sound connected nan door," said Townsend, who has now mislaid 3 location Tests against nan All Blacks arsenic caput coach - each by azygous digit margins.

"I'd emotion to beryllium playing New Zealand again adjacent week. We play Argentina and we request to put successful what we person learned.

"This is nan first clip this squad has played together since nan Six Nations. To get that cohesion consecutive distant is difficult and to spot it turn during nan crippled is encouraging.

"But it's truthful frustrating pinch that effort that we didn't get a win.

"It's nan closest we've travel to winning, I believe. We dominated nan 2nd half, territory, pressure, skill. We've not done that against New Zealand successful our history and we are amended for nan experience.

"Our travel doesn't extremity today. We person a very large crippled adjacent week and bigger games to travel successful nan Six Nations."

Scotland skipper Sione Tuipulotu described nan nonaccomplishment arsenic "bittersweet" and stressed nan value of a triumph against Argentina, having opened nan autumn bid pinch a grounds people against nan United States.

"I told nan boys we needed a guidance astatine half time," he said. "Either we dishonesty down aliases take to spell for it.

"We had thing to suffer and everything to gain.

"We person to bounce backmost for adjacent week because Argentina aren't going to make it immoderate easier."