Full-time: South Africa 42-28 Scotland

It’s all over in Pretoria as one of the great international games comes to a close. Scotland were at times better than the best team in the world. Tries from Matt Fagerson, Kyle Rowe, Josh Bayliss and Ben White, all converted by Finn Russell, were outdone by a clutch of timely Springbok converted tries.

Scotland made 123 tackles to their opponents’ 170, and had more possession (60%) and territory (62%) than their illustrious hosts.

Close – much closer than similar scorelines have suggested – but not enough in the end.

Scotland next play at Scottish Gas Murrayfield next Saturday 18 July against Fiji.

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Try South Africa

It’s like a game of 7s at times, as Sione Tuipulotu plays the captain’s role and carries through the South African defence, puncturing it and making all of 30 metres in the process. Springboks rattled but earn a penalty advantage from which Jesse Kriel earns the ultimate benefit, the centre latching on to Handre Pollard’s grubber and marching home. Conversion is good, and that really is that.

Steyn nearly scores the unthinkable

Hard to keep coming up with descriptors for this. Magnus Bradbury does his best Hiddleston/Cummings impression now, haring into Springbok territory all on his own. The ball is recycled and a cross-field kick to Kyle Steyn looks on the money, but it’s just out of the winger’s full grasp as he knocks on.

Tom Jordan is on by the way for Jamie Dobie and Kyle Rowe will go to the left wing. Unsure on timings as there’s too much happening for one humble viewer.

Try Scotland!

What on earth is going on?!

This is one of the most madcaps games of rugby you’re likely to see. Gregor Hiddleston does his best Scott Cummings impression with a burst up the pitch, before Tuipulotu and Bayliss engineer more hard yards.

And it’s Ben White who replicates opposite number Williams’ outstretched score! Russell adds tow more and all of a sudden, it’s a score in it!

Try Scotland!

Wow! Scott Cummings charges through the middle after beating two opposition men from a ruck and Josh Bayliss’ superb running support means the flanker is on hand to finish the job. Russell converts. Still in with a shout in Pretoria.

Rory Sutherland is on for his 50th cap, moments before Gregor Hiddleston does a Scotty Cummings and bursts upfield to offer another opportunity to Scotland??

Try South Africa

Zach Porthen, the replacement tighthead prop, makes the game safe you’d feel. It’s another host of pick-and-go affrontery to the Scottish defence and with Pollard’s extras, the world’s best look to be out of sight.

Williamson and McDowall enter the fray

Max Williamson is on for Gregor Brown in the pack and Stafford McDowall replaces Rory Hutchinson at outside centre.

Scottish subs

In amongst the madness, Scotland have brought on Gregor Hiddleston, Will Hurd and Magbus Bradbury for messrs Ashman, Fagerson and Fagerson.

Double trouble from hosts

Just as they did in the first half, South Africa have scored two tries in fewer than five minutes. It’s Grant Williams, sub scrum-half, who gets enough of an extension to his arm when hauled down to dot down.

Pollard takes it once more to a 14-point game in Pretoria.

Louw gives Springboks the lead

And that’s why they’re double defending world champs. South Africa haven’t had a second-half sniff and out of nowhere, they deliver. With Scotland on the back foot for the first time in a long time, the Springboks grunt their way up into the 22 and it’s Elrigh Louw who eventually goes over. Pollard converts to add insult to injury.

A narrative of Scottish invention and South African bludgeon

This is utterly compelling test match rugby. And it’s Scotland making it so. Josh Bayliss almost wriggles his way to the line after Jamie Dobie’s searing break up the right touchline. Again, South Africa manage to come up with a solution in defence and with two minutes to go until they’re back up to a full complement, you feel now is the time for Gregor Townsend’s charges.

Dixon of dock yellow

Ben-Jason Dixon’s yellow card will remain so after a review by the match officials. He’ll be back on in six minutes or so.

Scots in the ascendancy

Kyle Steyn is fed by Kyle Rowe after a wonderful ball by Finn Russell and the wing motors to the line but is held up. Then Sione Tuipulotu goes on the left and the outcome is similar, but there’s an offside advantage to come. Russell kicks to touch. This time for Ewan Ashman..? No! It’s adjudged to have been held up in the face of incredible defence.

Sin bin for Saffas

Pierre Brousset is asked by his match officiating team to check a potential piece of foul play by South African replacement ben-Jason Dixon, who it looks has come through with his head on Scott Cummings at a ruck.

It’s clear as day and the flanker gets the punishment it deserves, with a bunker review to come to ascertain if it will be upgraded. South Africa down to 14 for the next 10 minutes..

Bayliss on for Darge as second half begins

Rory Darge, immense in that first half as ever, has failed a Head Injury Assessment and so Josh Bayliss has taken to the Loftus Versfeld turf.

Finn Russell gets this engrossing affair back up and running, his kick-off pouched by Evan Roos.

Half-time: South Africa 14-14 Scotland

Well, how to sum that up?!

South Africa went into a two-try lead through Embrose Papier’s opportunist score and Eavan Roos’ close-range finish.

Rather than succumbing to a Springbok siege though, Scotland kept their hand in and eventually got their reward when the outstanding Matt Fagerson crashed over, before Kyle Rowe got on the scoresheet on the half-time whistle to cap off a great team try. 14 points apiece in Pretoria!

Try Scotland!

Side entry and a fifth penalty conceded by the hosts as they – whisper it – look a bit spooked.

Russell goes walkabout but finds a great offload to his skipper and Sione Tuipulotu offloads to an onrushing Kyle Rowe who scampers over for the match-levelling score!

Try Scotland!

It’s a breakthrough for the away side!

South Africa have collapsed the scrum from that previous knock-on and Scotland opt to tap-and-go achingly close to the line.

Another advantage is coming for a Springbok infringement and it’s Matt Fagerson who forces the issue with his side’s first try. The back-row forward has been Scotland’s stand-out player so far in an all-energy first half.

Finn Russell adds the conversion and having ridden the storm, they are now right back in this.

Last-ditch desperation for Scots

Oh it’s so, so close fro Scotland. Finn Russell twists and turns his way through green shirts after Kyle Rowe picks up a seemingly impossible ball off the deck. Gregor Brown then makes serious ground but Ewan Ashman fumbles from 5 metres out when a try was surely in the offing. Much better from Scotland.

Ridiculous pace at Loftus

Bearing in mind we’re playing at altitude here, this match is tiring for the viewer, never mind the players. Scotland again get joy through the middle with a Matt Fagerson-Darge-Dempsey-Zander Fagerson support play, but South Africa steal and, to the mercy of all, Aphelele Fassi clears to touch.

Scotland in sustained possession but nothing doing

Scotland go through 12 attacking phases with Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie both punching little holes and gaining metres here and there. The play is brought back for a penalty to the visitors and Finn Russell’s kick to touch is good, rather than great. Another chance here, but it goes begging for not releasing.

Irresistible from Springboks

It’s two in quick succession and a try from the rugby gods. Straight from kick-off, Cobus Wiese maraudes up the pitch before fellow bulky forward Paul de Villiers takes over. in the blink of an eye, South Africa are at the Scottish line once more and it’s Evan Roos who gets the spoils. Devastating and magical in equal measure from the world champions.

Try South Africa

Magnificent defence from the boys in blue. South Africa were battering away at the line but Evan Roos is held up and Scotland have a goal-line drop-out.

It’s scant relief though, as Embrose Papier spots a gap in the away defence and scampers all the way to the line with some fabulous footwork. Pollard lands the extras.

Springboks opt to scrum over three points

Jack Dempsey gives away two penalties in quick succession for illegally ripping the ball in a ruck and then not rolling away. The penalty is bang in front of the sticks but Pieter-Steph du Toit says they’d rather go with the scrum option.

It’s as belligerent a set piece as you might imagine from the hosts and they win another penalty from it – and once more choose to reset the scrum. Energy-sapping for the Scottish forwards.

Brilliant Russell

For all his attacking genius, Finn Russell’s defensive work goes under the radar. The stand-off has to be on high alert to scramble a ball doing all sorts just outside his 22, smothering it with consummate class. Plenty of sparring in this opening 10 minutes.

No dice for Scots

Ewan Ashman’s line-out wasn’t straight, which overrides a South African knock-on at that line-out. First scrum of the game and Scotland hold well before Embrose Papier launches a mighty clearance up into Scottish territory.

Scotland probing

Side entry from South Africa at that attacking line-out and Russell again clips one into touch for a proper look at this home line-out defence..

Combative start

It seems like everyone in lilac (Scotland’s away strip) has had an early go at the Springbok defence, the likes of Ewan Ashman, Rory Darge and Sione Tuipulotu all keeping their opponents honest before the concede a penalty for not rolling away during phase 10.

South Africa then do likewise and Finn Russell kicks his side back into the attacking half of the pitch.

Kick-off in Pretoria

Slightly marginally delayed from our scheduled 16:40 BST start at Loftus Versfeld, referee Pierre Brousset of France whistles to let Handre Pollard get things underway with a ball into Scotland’s 22, which Gregor Brown fields before Ben White lands an early touch.

Scotland to continue Northern Hemisphere feel-good factor?

Wins for France in Australia, Ireland against Japan (also played in Australia) and England over Fiji have brought week two bragging rights thus far in the second weekend of this inaugural Nations Championship.

If Scotland are to continue the trend, they will need to beat the world champions South Africa in their own back yard, a feat they are yet to achieve in seven attempts.

The Springboks are also on a nine-match winning run in this fixture since Dan Parks’ 21-point haul in 2010 at Murrayfield. The former stand-off landed a drop goal that afternoon; might we see one today?

Suzz-stainability

Loosehead prop Rory Sutherland will become the latest Scot to reach 50 caps, should he come off the bench today.

The Hawick man debuted in 2016 against Ireland in Dublin, replacing Al Dickinson in the 66th minute. Since then, he’s enjoyed two British & Irish Lions tours and established himself as one of the mainstays of the modern Scotland set-up.

This afternoon's teams

In case you missed it, Max Williamson has come in to replace Alex Samuel among the replacements, the latter missing out with a knee injury.

It feels like an eternity since South Africa released their team on Monday, but they too have a late change with wing Canan Moodie out and Ethan Hooker coming in in his stead.

Loftus Versfeld awaits..

Good afternoon and welcome to our coverage of South Africa v Scotland in the second round of fixtures in the 2026 Nations Championship at the famous Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.

Kick-off is at 16:40 BST and it’s live on ITV – but of course you’ll get all the updates right here.