Saturday 12 November 2016 10:27, UK
Scotland coach Steve McCormack is hoping his team's stunning draw with world No 1 side New Zealand will help achieve a breakthrough for rugby league north of the border.
The 13-man code remains a minority sport in Scotland despite the Bravehearts reaching the last eight of the World Cup in 2013 and winning the 2015 European Cup, which earned them entry into the Four Nations Series for the first time.
Scotland overcame a dreadful start in their opening match against Australia in Hull to emerge from a 54-12 defeat with credit and they gave England a scare in Coventry before losing 38-12.
Friday night's 18-18 draw with the tournament holders provided further evidence of the talent available to McCormack, even though most of it qualifies through the grandparental rule with only two members of the 24-man squad born in the country.
McCormack admits progress has stalled but believes Friday's performance, which enabled Scotland to succeed where France, Wales, Papua New Guinea and Samoa previously failed by becoming the first "fourth nation" to claim a point, can help to create a legacy.
"It should do," McCormack said. "We would have liked to have thought in 2013 when we got to the World Cup quarter-final it would have left a bit more of a legacy.
"We've got a lot of people working hard on the ground floor up there now. We'd like to get our domestic game sorted.
"We've got a chairman and a board that is working really hard and hopefully the country can see that this is a team to be proud of."
Friday's match was held in Scotland's second home of Workington while the opener against the Kangaroos was taken to Hull after organisers were thwarted in their efforts to stage it in Glasgow.
