WARRINGTON Wolves winger Matty Russell and his Scotland teammates shocked world-ranked number one side New Zealand with an 18-18 draw in the Ladbrokes Four Nations tonight.

Russell, who had not trained all week through injury, was put under pressure from Shaun Johnson kicks and four touch downs scored on his side of the field but with his danger-clearing darts out of dummy half and a first-period try-saving tackle he played his part in the greatest result in Scotland Rugby League’s short history.

The Wire man, hailed as the best winger on the field by his boss Steve McCormack in the previous two losses to Australia and England, was not at fault for the scores as the Kiwis cleverly created overlaps and Russell kept his nerve throughout.

It was Danny Brough’s conversion to Euan Aitken’s 78th minute try earned the fittingly named Bravehearts a deserved share of the spoils at a wet, windy and freezing Derwent Park in Workington, sending home a 6,628 crowd jubilant.

And McCormack’s men could well have done England a favour with regards to qualifying for the final at Anfield on Sunday, November 20.

For this result means Australia’s place in the decider is guaranteed, and a draw for England against the Kangaroos at the London Stadium on Sunday would be enough for the likes of Warrington Wolves stars Chris Hill, Daryl Clark and Mike Cooper to get another crack at them a week later.

Russell Tweeted after the game:


The Kiwis produced some threatening moments in the first half but the spirit and quality of Scotland’s defence kept them at bay.

With the half-time words of New Zealand coach David Kidwell, the former Wolves centre, ringing in their ears the Kiwis attempted to take control early in the second period.

It was then that Russell pulled off a wonder tackle on full-back Dallin Watene-Zelezniak at a crucial stage of the game.

The longer the contest went on, the higher the Scotland confidence grew but it looked as though the Kiwis might have sparked a rally with winger David Fusitu’a’s second try in the 55th minute to edge Kidwell’s boys 10-4 in front.

Scotland responded brilliantly and after Brough broke up the defence with a wide kick, from the next tackle Lachlan Coote sent Lewis Tierney flying down the wing and he found former Warrington Wolves Academy player Ben Hellewell on his inside for atry converted by Brough for 10-10 with 14 minutes remaining.

It got better for the Bravehearts when Brough landed a 35-metre penalty goal three minutes later but the Kiwis probably thought they had won the game when Greg Eastwood got free down the middle and his offload was quickly fired long and wide by Johnson for Gerard Beale to cross.

But with Isaac Luke struggling with the conditions with his kicking he missed the extras to that score and Beale’s second as he finished off a long-range midfield break involving Johnson, Te Maire Martin and Watene-Zelezniak, leaving Scotland still only six points adrift with five minutes remaining.

The Kiwis knocked on under pressure from Brough’s short re-start and the possession gained enabled Scotland to strike the equalising score through Aitken after neat handling from Brough, Danny Addy and Coote.

Brough used the wind to his advantage to curl the ball between the posts to ensure Scotland became the first representative side outside the big three to earn a point in a Four Nations tournament.

The scenes in the Scotland changing rooms afterwards, and a passionate rendition of Flower of Scotland, told its own story.


Scotland: Lachlan Coote; Lewis Tierney, Euan Aitken, Kane Linnett, Matty Russell; Danny Brough, Danny Addy; Adam Walker, Liam Hood, Luke Douglas, Ben Hellewell, Dale Ferguson, Ben Kavanagh. Subs: Ryan Brierley, Frankie Mariano, Brett Phillips, Billy McConnachie.

New Zealand: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak; David Fusitu’a, Gerard Beale, Solomone Kata, Jason Nightingale; Tommy Leuluai, Shaun Johnson; Jesse Bromwich, Isaac Luke, Adam Blair, Manu Ma’u, Tohu Harris, Greg Eastwood. Subs: Te Maire Martin, Martin Taupau, James Fisher-Harris, Joseph Tapine.