New Zealand put Scotland to sword despite Ewan Ashman hat-trick

New Zealand defeated Scotland 43-21 in their Nations Championship match, extending the Scots' winless streak against the All Blacks to 34 matches. Edinburgh hooker Ewan Ashman scored a remarkable first-half hat-trick for Scotland, keeping the hosts within three points at 24-21 by halftime. However, Scotland failed to score a single point after the interval as the visitors took control.

Wallace Sititi, Ethan de Groot, and Codie Taylor notched early tries for New Zealand before Ashman brought Scotland close. In the second half, the All Blacks capitalized with tries from Josh Moorby, Beauden Barrett, and Asafo Aumua, comfortably sealing the victory.