BRAVEHEARTS by name, and they more than lived up to it.

Scotland have given New Zealand the scare of a lifetime before finishing with a thoroughly deserved 18-all draw against the world’s number one ranked side.

The Kiwis were anything but in the first half, hanging on for a slender 6-4 lead at halftime despite running with a gale force win behind them in Workington.

A double to rookie winger David Fusitu’a gave New Zealand breathing space, but with skipper Danny Brough pulling the strings Scotland kept themselves in the contest, drawing level at 10-all after a stunning 67th minute try to back-rower Ben Hellewell.

Brough had required two needle injections just to get on the park, but he knocked over a penalty no dramas a minute later and for five nervous minutes one of the biggest boil overs in the game’s history was well and truly on.

The star studded Kiwis then kicked into gear, with man of the match Shaun Johnson instrumental in laying on a quick brace of tries for veteran centre Gerard Beale.

The better side for so much of the contest had one last shot in them though, with a late New Zealand error giving Scotland premium field position.

Dragons three-quarter Euan Aitken pushed through the attempted tackle of clubmate Jason Nightingale in the 79th minute, and Brough calmly stepped up to slot the clutch conversion.

The result is undoubtedly the finest in Scotland’s short history, having never come close to a top tier nation previously.

For the Kiwis and David Kidwell the one point acquired pushes them into second place on the Four Nations ladder, and assures Australia’s passage to the final next weekend.

England must now either beat the Kangaroos, or also hold them to a draw on Monday morning, to move past New Zealand.

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