Rugby Union Betting Tips for the Nations Championship 2026 - All Blacks vs Scotland

New Zealand head to Edinburgh for the first of three European clashes against Scotland (and then Wales and England). The All Blacks are currently sitting in second place in the Nations Championship Southern Hemisphere Standings, with three wins from three games.

More Nations Championship action is on the cards, and New Zealand travels to Europe for three games. First up, the All Blacks are playing Scotland in Edinburgh. The All Blacks are currently second in the Southern Hemisphere Standings, with three wins from three games. Before all the action kicks off, the BettingTop10 experts go through all the most important details!

Odds thanks to Betista (accurate at the time of publication).

All Blacks

The All Blacks have won all three of their Nations Championship clashes so far this season (beating France, Italy, and Ireland), and they are coming off a comprehensive 43-21 win over the Wallabies in Sydney. Winning on the road is rarely a gimme, so they’ll need to be at their best.

Don’t expect many changes from coach Dave Rennie, but we do see both Ethan de Groot and Jordie Barrett returning to the starting side. The All Blacks are known for their attacking game, and Will Jordan has to be one of their biggest threats.

The All Blacks will be looking to go ahead of South Africa in the Southern Hemisphere Standings, so they’ll likely continue to play at the high tempo they’re known for. Their ability to wear down and stretch opposition defence should be used to great effect here.

Scotland

Scotland have never beaten the All Blacks in a Test match, so they will be looking to make history in this game in front of their home fans. They have shown improvement and are mixing it with some of the best in rugby, but their defence will be tested unlike anything before against the All Blacks.

Finn Russell looks to be the key player for Scotland. The fly-half is known for creating something out of nothing through his passing and kicking skills. One thing that Scotland does have working for them is their creativity. They could throw up some plays that take the All Blacks by surprise.

Russell’s kicking game is likely how Scotland will control territory, and they’ll also be looking to move the ball quickly when attacking opportunities present themselves. One question many have is if Scotland will be able to compete physically with the All Blacks, especially at the breakdown.

The All Blacks have won the last five Test matches over Scotland, dating all the way back to 2012. For the All Blacks specifically, they’ve won two of their last five games (but have won the last two in a row). Scotland has won three of their last five, with wins over Fiji, Argentina, and France.

The most vital trends that you should be aware of leading into this match: 

• Scotland has never won against the All Blacks. Across the total 33 meetings, the All Blacks have won 31, and there have been two draws.
• Scotland has scored 28+ in four of their last five Test matches, showing they do have the attacking game required to compete with the best.
• While the All Blacks have won the last four Tests against Scotland, all four have been by eight points or less.

Scotland certainly won’t be pushovers, especially in front of their home crowd. If the All Blacks aren’t fully switched on, I think Scotland is capable of giving them a run for their money. However, that statistic of Scotland never beating New Zealand across 33 meetings really sticks out.

The All Blacks are the heavy favourites, so there’s no value in that bet. Instead, I’m leaning towards the overs in points. The line is currently set at 57.5, and as we already know, Scotland has scored 28+ in four of their last five games. Even if they get just 20, the All Blacks are more than capable of coming up with the rest.

Take the overs in total points +57.5 @ $1.86.

The All Blacks have a great shot at rising up in the Southern Hemisphere Standings in this game. They are currently behind South Africa on points differential. Not to mention, the All Blacks would want to keep their unbeaten record against Scotland intact. So, there’s certainly a lot on the line! Before kick-off, make sure you get your bets sorted, and check for any betting bonuses as well!