Scotland star ready to go 'toe-to-toe' with All Blacks while enjoying internal try-scoring battle with fellow winger
The winger believes his side are capable of defeating New Zealand if they’re at their best.
After their record-breaking 85-0 win over the USA, next up for Gregor Townsend’s men is the All Blacks at Murrayfield.
In what was their biggest ever win at the National Stadium, the Scots scored thirteen tries against The Eagles, while also keeping a clean sheet. Two hat-tricks from Darcy Graham and Jamie Dobie and a Duhan Van Der Merwe brace contributed to over half of the tries at Murrayfield. Dylan Richardson, Kyle Rowe, Stafford McDowall, George Horne and Ollie Smith all got in on the act to complete the whitewash.
As the Scots now prepare for a much bigger challenge against New Zealand, hat-trick hero, D’arcy Graham believes the side have what it takes to do something no Scotland team has ever done before - beat them. The 28-year old equalled Van Der Merwe’s all time try scoring record against America, with both players now on 34 a piece.
‘We can go toe-to-toe with anybody’
Regarding the mammoth New Zealand test, Graham said: “growing up you always want to play against the All Blacks so you don't get any bigger occasions. It's going to be a special Murrayfield game. The atmosphere is going to be incredible, it's going to be a real buzz, building for it throughout the whole week, so that's exciting.
“We can go toe-to-toe with anybody, but we need to be at our best. That's for a full 80 minutes, because they're no mugs. They're an incredible team with the chemistry they've got behind them so they're going to be coming here as favourites. Everyone knows we've got that monkey on our back, never beating them before, so it would be very special to beat them.
“It gives us confidence, the fact the last two games were close. I just wish we had the opportunity to play them more often and really test ourselves. I feel like if we played them more, that confidence would come back and we'd end up believing in ourselves even more, that we can go toe-to-toe with these boys. Come Saturday, we need to be at our best and then when can get close to these guys. It's an exciting week and the boys will be right up for it.”
Graham also spoke about the playful internal battle he and Duhan Van Der Merwe have for the all-time try record. Gregor Townsend has been pleased with the friendly competition between his two starting wingers, but Graham insists it’s all fun and games.
‘I’ll need to catch him again!’
When asked about equalling the record, Graham responded: “at least he knows I'm there! As soon as he scored early on I thought I'm going to have to catch him, then when he scored again, I thought I'll need to catch him again! But no it's nothing really.
“It (The USA game) was good fun, a lot of running rugby which suits me and the backs but probably not the most challenging game for us. We know next week is going to be a completely different kettle of fish, so now we're just looking forward to that. That's always the one where you're saying 'I want to play in that game'. It's like when you see the four games, the one that stands out is the All Blacks, that's the one you want to be starting in.”
Scotland face New Zealand for the first time in three years at 3:10pm on Saturday at Murrayfield. The last time the All Blacks visited the capital, they emerged 33-21 victors. Both sides go into the match having won their last Autumn Nations Series outing, as The Kiwis defeated Ireland in Chicago on Saturday.