Match Report: Scotland 15-32 South Africa
10 Nov 2024Scotland stayed in the fight throughout but ultimately couldn’t land anything like a knock-out blow against world champions South Africa in a bruising Murrayfield encounter.
Makazole Mapimpi was the early victor, his spoils a try from Handré Pollard’s darting cross-field kick which was on the back of an advantage for Pierre Schoeman not leaving a line-out maul swiftly enough. Pollard missed the touchline conversion but the world champions were in business [0-5, 4 mins].
Scotland settled after that early Bok blitz, Duhan van der Merwe twice making forays into South African territory but just when Finn Russell was about to tee up a penalty goal on the back of Springboks not rolling away at a ruck, Scott Cummings was yellow carded for a neck roll in the act before.
It was a blow the hosts didn’t need but after a quarter of an hour, Russell did indeed land Scotland’s first points from around 35m after South Africa were adjudged by referee Christophe Ridley of blocking a chase [3-5, 17 mins]. However, Cummings’ yellow was upgraded to a 20-minute red card before the next restart, to the confusion of the Murrayfield masses.
A tense affair was giving little quarter to either side but when Canan Moodie was penalised for not holding on, Russell landed a long-range cracker to nudge Scotland into the lead [6-5, 21 mins].
Scotland’s tails were up, perhaps on a perceived injustice and the crowd knew it. Every chase had intent and the 14 men were banding together to counter a bulkier opposition. It led to a more loose contest, with Russell’s drop goal attempt after 27 minutes easily charged down.
The world champions tend to know when to turn the screw and did so from an unlikely source when tighthead prop Thomas du Toit burst through a fragmented line-out, Pollard converting this time [6-12, 29 mins].
Kwagga Smith, on the occasion of his 50th cap, infringed by not rolling away at another ruck, allowing Russell the chance to land another monster penalty [9-12, 33 mins].
Once more, South Africa sensed the scoreboard danger and Mapimpi grabbed his second when he clutched a deft Willie Le Roux chip, with Pollard converting [9-19, 36 mins].
Scotland needed to get something before the interval and thought they had delivered in fine style when Tom Jordan scythed through the Springbok defence to send Ben White over but the TMO intervened once more – correctly it would turn out – for an earlier Huw Jones knock on.
The delirium was short lived but as the teams left the field, there was just about enough encouragement for the hosts to eat into a 10-point deficit.
Half-time: Scotland 9-19 South Africa
Scotland needed to open the points ledger in the second half and when South Africa transgressed at a scrum, Russell landed a fourth penalty to redress arrears to seven [12-19, 43 mins].
The Springboks brought on no fewer than six replacements to all-but empty their bench after 46 minutes and the game became as stop-start as the change in personnel.
Still, Scotland refused to back down from the fight and were it not for a miraculous piece of Eben Etzebeth defence, whereby he somehow grabbed Duhan van der Merwe’s jersey as the winger was about to stretch out and hare away, the home side could have been level.
Mapimpi’s yellow card for a blatant offside may have reaped more reward if the line-out had not been spoiled but the belief had returned and when Russell grabbed a fifth penalty goal, there was less than a try in it [15-19, 60 mins].
Yet again, South Africa stemmed the flow of points with Pollard’s first penalty after Pieter-Steph du Toit was illegally hauled down at a line-out [15-22, 65 mins] and the prolific stand-off added another as the Springboks looked to manage the life out of the game [15-25, 74 mins].
And there was time for South Africa to put considerable gloss on the result when Jasper Wiese went over in the final minute, Pollard once more clipping over the conversion [15-32, 80 mins].
Full-time: Scotland 15-32 South Africa
Scotland: Tom Jordan (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Huw Jones, Sione Tuipolutu (captain) (both Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby); Finn Russell (Bath Rugby), Ben White (Toulon); Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman (both Edinburgh Rugby), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey (all Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: Dylan Richardson (Sharks) (for Ashman, 61 mins), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors) (for Schoeman, 61 mins), Elliot Millar Mills (Northampton Saints) (for Z. Fagerson, 65 mins), Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors) (Red card replacement, 31 mins), Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby) (for Dempsey, 64 mins), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Darge, 61 mins), Jamie Dobie (for White, 68 mins], Stafford McDowall (for Jordan, 72 mins] (both Glasgow Warriors).
South Africa: Willie Le Roux (Bulls), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Andre Easterhuizen (Sharks), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks); Ox Nche (Sharks), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Thomas du Toi (Bath Rugby), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks, captain), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Elright Louw (Bulls), Kwagga Smith Shizuoka Blue Revs).
Replacements: Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Vincent Koch (Sharks), RG Snyman (Leinster), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Jasper Wiese (Uruyasu D-Rocks), Grant Williams (Sharks).
Referee: Christophe Ridley (ENG)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (ENG) and Craig Evans (WAL)
TMO: Iain Tempest (ENG)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (FRA)
Attendance: 67,144
Player of the Match: Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
