Scotland coach Steve McCormack is hoping his team’s historic draw with world number ones New Zealand – with Huddersfield Giants’ Danny Brough the hero – will go some way towards achieving 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 – sealed with Brough’s late successful kick – 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.

Scotland's Danny Brough kicks a conversion to tie the scores against New Zealand

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,” said McCormack, who also had Ryan Brierley in his side as a replacement.

“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.

Captain Brough converted Euan Aitken’s last-gasp try to earn Scotland the result.

Scotland led 12-10 with six minutes to go but Gerard Beale scored two tries for the Four Nations champions.

Aitken responded with the try of the match and then Brough kicked the extras on a wet night in Cumbria.

The result means that England will take on Australia in the final if they beat or draw with the Kangaroos on Sunday.