Scotland hold on to beat Maori All Blacks in tour opener

Maori All Blacks: (12) 26

Tries: Nock, Walker-Leawere, Eklund, Wrampling Cons: Reihana 2, Trask

Scotland: (24) 29

Tries: Paterson, Horne 2, Reed Cons: Hastings 3 Pens: Hastings

Scotland held off a Maori All Blacks fightback to hang on to a slender lead and win a nail-biting first game of their summer tour of New Zealand 29-26.

Adam Hastings' first-half penalty proved to be crucial, with both sides scoring four tries and three conversions in Whangarei.

The Scots have not toured New Zealand in 25 years and, although this was a non-capped international, both sides played with typical Southern Hemisphere flair throughout.

The hosts enjoyed more possession, made more metres and rearranged more ribs than their visitors, but Gregor Townsend's side were a little more clinical in attack and produced a huge defensive set at the last to clinch victory.

And, while the side was predominantly made up of Scotland's second-string, with star names such as Jamie Ritchie, Rory Darge, Darcy Graham and Tom Jordan rested for the next two games against Fiji and Samoa, they had to produce their best to see off the Maoris.