Callow Bok lineup — just enough to topple Scotland in Loftus thriller

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus deliberately picked a mix-and-match team to see if it could stand up to a cohesive Scotland unit and the answer was “yes”, but only just.

The Boks won their tenth Test in a row and became the first team to beat all the Rugby Championship and Six Nations teams in a 12-month period.

The outcome was what Erasmus and the Boks wanted, although the performance was underwhelming.

Scotland will rue not winning their first Test in South Africa against the Boks, because they were the better team for large swathes of the contest.

Although the final try tally read six to four to the Springboks, it was a victory built on taking the few chances they had while Scotland failed to take several of theirs.

Four of the Boks’ tries came in two 90-second groupings, showing the ruthlessness of the world champions when they needed it.

It took old heads such as the classy Handrè Pollard, centres Jesse Kriel and Damian Willemse, scrumhalf Grant Williams and flank Pieter-Steph du Toit to steady matters, when it looked like the youthful team were on the brink of collapsing.

Pollard kicked five from five from the tee, and was imperious in the air, while Willemse and Kriel both scored crucial second-half tries at key moments for the Boks.

Testing new faces

This was always going to be a game about seeing which young, or inexperienced, players could stand up against a quality side.

Erasmus will have found some answers because they all did. A late injury forced Ethan Hooker into the starting lineup in place of Canan Moodie on the wing, and he was strong on defence.

Lock Cobus Wiese was monstrous for the 30 minutes he spent on the field before a rib injury ended his night, while openside Paul de Villiers gave another excellent display with his breakdown work and link play.

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Scotland’s usual suspects rose to the occasion. Captain and centre Sione Tuipulotu was immense, constantly asking tough questions of the Bok defence.

Flyhalf Finn Russell buzzed and fizzed behind a strong pack in which lock Scott Cummings, prop Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman and flank Matt Fagerson were excellent.

The Scots took the ball through 10 phases or more, five times in the match. They did everything right except take the numerous half chances they carved out.

There was a 20-minute period either side of halftime when the Boks were under immense pressure, compounded by a yellow card for replacement flank Ben-Jason Dixon, and despite setting up camp inside the Bok 22, Scotland couldn’t score.

Just before the break, Ashman knocked on close to the line which cost a certain seven points.

Then, after halftime, No 8 Jack Dempsey also lost the ball close to the Bok line when a try looked a certainty. The Boks clung on and made Scotland pay for that largesse.

Fast start

After even opening exchanges, the Boks blew the game open with two tries in the space of 90 seconds, midway through the first half.

Scrumhalf Embrose Papier, celebrating his first Test appearance in eight years, on his home ground, darted off the back of a ruck 30m out and burst away. He easily rounded tighthead Zander Fagerson and then skinned fullback Kyle Rowe for a popular score at Loftus.

No 8 Evan Roos, who enjoyed a strong outing, scored next less than 90 seconds later. Suddenly the Boks led 14-0, despite Scotland enjoying more of the possession and territory.

The tourists refused to wilt though, and the Springboks were left reeling on the stroke of halftime when Scotland drew level thanks to a well-worked try from Rowe.

The score had its genesis from a Bok side entry at a ruck. From the penalty, Scotland upped the tempo and went through multiple phases before captain Sione Tuipulotu slipped a fine pass to Rowe.

Scotland’s second try in five minutes

That was Scotland’s second try in five minutes as they picked themselves off the canvas when the Boks scored two tries in two minutes midway through the half, to take all the momentum into the break.

Considering this was a mix-and-match Bok lineup, the home team started the game well, winning the breakdown battle, defending well when needed and edging the set piece battle.

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After giving away two early penalties – one for a side entry at a Scotland maul and another for sealing off at a ruck in the space of 60 seconds – lock Cobus Wiese took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Wiese’s physicality led directly to the Boks’ second try when his marauding run from the restart to Papier’s try ended in one for Roos, who drove over from close range.

The move included a fine run from openside De Villiers, who carried on Wiese’s good work.

Wiese continued to make big hits and dominate, but a rib injury saw him leave the field around the half-hour mark and whether it was coincidence or not, once he was off the momentum shifted Scotland’s way.

Pressure period

The visitors put the Boks under immense pressure for the next 20 minutes either side of halftime.

Their rolling maul was a constant source of angst for the Bok defence and their multi-phase attack stressed Bok tacklers.

The Boks conceded six penalties in a row either side of halftime and looked to be ready to implode under the Scotland barrage.

Thanks to Scotland’s poor execution and some fine scrambling defence, the Boks clung on, and in the space of a few minutes they turned the game on its head.

In the 55th minute the Boks finally had some field position although Scotland had a lineout inside their own half.

Ashman knocked on at the ensuing maul, giving the Boks a scrum. From the set piece, replacement flank Elrigh Louw smashed over the line for the Boks’ third try.

From the restart, the Boks worked their way into Scotland’s territory and Willemse played a hand in creating, and then finishing, the team’s bonus-point try.

In a few minutes the Boks led by 14 points again. Things got worse for Scotland when replacement prop Zach Porthen barged over after a multi-phase build-up to widen the gap to 21 points.

If anyone thought Scotland were dead and buried they were mistaken. For the next 10 minutes they scythed through the Bok defensive line in a wild period of play, scoring twice through flank Josh Bayliss and scrumhalf ben White to keep the game in the balance.

Kriel had the final say when he ran on to a fine dink from Pollard to leave the Bok top of the Nations Championship standings in their section.

Erasmus put his players in a tough situation and on balance, they responded to the coach’s examination. DM

Scorers:

South Africa – Tries: Embrose Papier, Evan Roos, Elrigh Louw, Damian Willemse, Zach Porthen, Jesse Kriel. Conversions: Handrè Pollard (5), Quan Horn.

Scotland – Tries: Matt Fagerson, Kyle Rowe, Bayliss, Ben White. Conversions: Finn Russell (4).