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Four Nations draw memories boost Scots

A new-look Scotland rugby league team will be looking to rediscover the form which grabbed them a shock 18-18 draw against the Kiwis last year.

Memories of last year's Four Nations draw with New Zealand are providing extra inspiration for Scotland ahead of their Rugby League World Cup clash in Christchurch on Saturday.

Coming off an opening 50-4 loss to Tonga last weekend, Scotland face a Kiwis team clinical in dispatching Samoa 38-8 in their first-up match.

Scotland skipper Danny Brough, contesting his third Rugby League World Cup, says the 18-18 draw had shown his team that they could compete with the best.

"What a great result for us, probably the best in our history," he said.

"If we can try and repeat a bit of that form we showed last year, we'll enjoy ourselves and hopefully go well."

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Brough says there have been a swathe of changes in Scotland's line-up since then.

"There's probably seven or eight players from that game who won't be playing," he said.

"It's a different group of players, a different squad, but we need the same determination, the same resilience and the same skill."

The team to face the Kiwis will have a much younger look to it, which could include debuts for 20-year-old Bradford centre Brandan Wilkinson and Roosters second-rower Jarred Anderson.

Scotland coach Steve McCormack says resilience will be key for Scotland as they look to rebuild confidence after their big Tongan loss.

"We want to do really well and hopefully get a quarter-final spot.

"We're not here just to be respectable - we want to win, that's the bottom line."


2 min read

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Source: AAP



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