By Tom Jeffreys
Scotland…….. 32 (9)Tries:Conversions:Penalties: Russell 17, 22, 33, 44, 6120 min purple playing cards: Cummings 11
South Africa:………. 15 (19)Tries: Mapimpi 5, 35 Thomas du Toit 30, Wiese 79Conversions: Pollard 31, 36, 80Penalties: Pollard 65Yellow playing cards: Mapimpi 59
Gregor Townsend was swarmed with two massive speaking factors within the build-up to this sport: the affect of the benches and the way Scotland would negate South Africa’s enlargement to an all-court monitoring menace.
Finally, the reply lay within the query. With arguably the best bench ever assembled, one which boasted 395 caps and 7 bullishly giant forwards, South Africa discovered width for 2 of three first-half tries and extracted 4 second-half scrum penalties to strangle an albeit resurgent Scotland.
The bomb squad arrived on the Forty fifth-minute mark, rousing the Scottish crowd and invigorating the gamers, however an prolonged interval of strain was unrewarded with factors.
Ten first-half factors have been left begging as Scott Cummings’ controversial croc roll 20-minute purple noticed a penalty reversed and a Tom Jordan knock on cancelled out a gap attempt.
South Africa in the meantime have been sometimes medical, Mapimpi taking advantage of two cross-field kicks and Thomas du Toit a miscued lineout.
Bailed out by Scottish errors within the second half, they capped a efficiency that showcased either side of their remorseless sport with a Jasper Wiese walk-over scrum attempt.
Match Motion
With the bumper bench looming ominously, a flawless first half was wanted however Scotland have been their very own worst enemies, ten factors chalked off and territory sacrificed for ill-discipline and errors.
Even with out some heavyweights, South Africa’s maul went to work early to earn a penalty benefit, giving Handre Pollard the licence to go cross-field to Mapimpi to attain his first.
With a field kick plan struggling to search out consistency, factors off Russell’s boot have been required, however a primary, easy shot at aim was pulled again for Cummings’ croc roll, the second row ultimately proven a 20-minute purple regardless of seemingly taking part in a smaller position within the filter than Rory Darge.
Russell was in a position to register factors quickly after, taking his aspect 6-5 up.
Nevertheless, profiting from their numerical benefit and the maybe unsteady backfield presence of Tom Jordan, South Africa discovered themselves in vary for an additional maul and Thomas du Toit, the world’s most medical prop, gathered in Bongi Mbonambi’s overthrow and coasted house for his fifteenth attempt in 13 months.
Regardless of a set piece coming in unconventional type for du Toit, the following was a lot nearer to South Africa’s prototype because the scrum bullied its method to a penalty benefit and Willie le Roux dinked over the slim Scotland defence for Mapimpi to stroll in his second.
Second Half
In arguably probably the most infuriating second of the half – amongst many – Scotland’s first attempt was cancelled for a tender Jordan knock on, that means a quick begin was wanted for the second half, and while which will appear nigh on unimaginable when your opponents carry on Marx, Kolisi, Pieter Steph du Toit and co on on the 45 minute mark, a raucous Murrayfield was invigorated by the adjustments.
Early bomb squad assaults have been subtle, and leased with tangible house power, Scotland started discovering width and Huw Jones and Tom Jordan have been each in a position to break into South Africa’s 22.
While the construct up work was excellent, the purple zone effectivity was not, Scotland rising from a purple patch of a minimum of 20 minutes and three massive 22 breaks with simply three factors as panicked execution and South African cynicism proved too obstructive.
In truth, these three factors have been cancelled out by a Pollard penalty, and the scrum started going to work, etching out 4 penalties on feed and denying Scottish entrance foot ball in opposition to the top, the simply reward being Wiese’s late attempt from the bottom.
Lineups
Scotland:
15. Tom Jordan (McDowall 73) 14. Blair Kinghorn 13. Huw Jones 12. Sione Tuipulotu (C) 11. Duhan Van Der Merwe 10. Finn Russell 9. Ben White (Dobie 69); Pierre Schoeman (Sutherland 61) 2. Ewan Ashman (Richardson 61) 3. Zander Fagerson (Millar-Mills 65) 4. Grant Gilchrist 5. Scott Cummings (purple cardreplacement – Williamson 31) 6. Matt Fagerson 7. Rory Darge (Ritchie 61) 8. Jack Dempsey (Bayliss 64)
Replacements: 16. Dylan Richardson 17. Rory Sutherland 18. Elliot Millar-Mills 19. Max Williamson Josh Bayliss 21. Jamie Ritchie 22. Jamie Dobie 23. Stafford McDowall
South Africa:
15. Willie le Roux 14. Canan Moodie 13. Lukhanyo Am 12. Andre Esterhuizen 11. Makazole Mapimpi 10. Handre Pollard 9. Jaden Hendrikse (Williams 69); 1. Ox Nche (Steenkamp 45) 2. Bongi Mbonambi (Marx 45) 3. Thomas du Toit (Koch 45) 4. Eben Etzebeth (C) 5. Franco Mostert (Snyman 40) 6. Marco van Staden (Kolisi 45) 7. Elrigh Louw (PS du Toit 45) 8. Kwagga Smith (Wiese 45) Replacements: 16. Malcolm Marx 17. Gerhard Steenkamp 18. Vincent Koch 19. RG Snyman 20 Siya Kolisi 21. Pieter-Steph du Toit 22. Jasper Wiese 23. Grant Williams
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