Scotland lose intense scrap with dogged Springboks

Autumn Nations Series: Scotland v South Africa

Scotland (9) 15

Pens: Russell 5

South Africa (19) 32

Tries: Mapimpi 2, Du Toit, Wiese Cons: Pollard 3 Pens: Pollard 2

South Africa claimed an intense and thrilling victory over Scotland at a raucous Murrayfield, the 17-point margin at the end doing nothing to reflect what a tumultuous Test match it was.

The world champions were pushed hard by the ferocious Scots, who created – but did not take – multiple chances in a pivotal period during the second half.

Scotland were also forced to play 20 minutes of the opening half with 14 men when Scott Cummings was given a yellow card which was upgraded to a red. It looked a desperately harsh call.

Makazole Mapimpi scored two first-half tries for the Springboks, with Thomas du Toit adding a third and Jasper Wiese a late fourth.

Scotland, who were forced to play catch-up for most of the day, garnered all of their points from the boot of Finn Russell.

For chunks of the contest, the home side looked outstanding, but South Africa’s ability to fight their way to survival was astonishing.

The Springboks drew first blood and, given it was so early, it was a grim beginning for Scotland.

Playing penalty advantage off a five-metre line-out, Handre Pollard made them pay for a narrow defence with a precise crossfield kick to Mapimpi, who scored despite Tom Jordan’s efforts.

Things got worse for Scotland soon after when Cummings was done for dangerous play and was binned.

Another blow arrived with the news that it was upgraded to a 20-minute red card. Murrayfield was incredulous and furious.

Still, as the attrition rose, Scotland prospered, despite being a man down. Russell put over one penalty, then another and the 14-men led the world champions.

The Boks were not themselves, missing a couple of line-outs, dropping a couple of balls. The home crowd had things to get their teeth into – Ewan Ashman’s big hit on Eben Etzebeth chief among them.

Then, the horror show that was South Africa’s second try when Franco Mostert fumbled a close-range line-out ball to Du Toit, who thundered through the gap. Pollard converted and the visitors led again.

Max Williamson came on for Cummings at that point, the 20 minutes ending with a one-point win for the Boks which, in a sense, was a win for Scotland.

Russell’s sure boot narrowed the gap, but the Boks struck again almost immediately. Again it was a beautiful kick-pass from right to left, from Willie Le Roux this time. Again it was Mapimpi with the score.

Pollard’s conversion made it 19-9 to South Africa.

Scotland looked to have broken through when Sione Tuipulotu and Jordan put Ben White through the Bok defence and all the way to the posts, but it was brought back for a knock-on earlier on. A tiny one, but it was enough.

Referee Christophe Ridley felt Murrayfield’s wrath again.

The stadium roared once more early in the new half but this time it was for another Russell penalty. Seven–point game now.

Rassie Erasmus brought on RG Snyman at the break and then the other horsemen of the Apocalypse followed within minutes. Enter Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Malcolm Marx, Vincent Koch. Gerhard Steenekamp. The Bomb Squad had arrived.

Almost as soon as they did, a bit of a scrap broke out between Zander Fagerson and Etzebeth. It was intense and brutal and compelling.

Scotland took the fight to the Boks. They were relentless in their physicality, the game turning into a magnificent frenzy.

South Africa survived when Matt Fagerson spilled in the shadow of the posts and survived again when Huw Jones began another siege, the upshot within seconds being a yellow card for Mapimpi as he scrambled to stop the charge.

The Scots had a line-out five metres out, but lost it. Agony. They went again through Jordan and his cavalry.

The visitors were hanging on, but hang on they did. Incredibly. Heroically, in a rugby sense.

Scotland had thrown the kitchen sink, the contents of the living room and half a dozen wardrobes at them and they still did not break.

Russell kicked a goal to narrow it to 19-15, but they needed more. And more still when Pollard booted over a penalty to make it a seven-point gap and then another to make it a 10-point lead.

Wiese’s late score put a cruel look on the board for Scotland.

Scotland: Jordan, Kinghorn, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt) Van der Merwe, Russell, White; Schoeman, Ashman, Z Fagerson, Gilchrist, Cummings, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Richardson, Sutherland, Millar Mills, Williamson, Bayliss, Ritchie, Dobie, McDowall.

South Africa: Le Roux, Moodie, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi, Pollard, Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, T du Toit, Etzebeth, Mostert, Van Staden, Louw, Smith.

Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, Snyman, Kolisi, PS du Toit, Wiese, Williams.

Referee: Christophe Ridley