Preview: South Africa v Scotland

NICE, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 05: Ben White during a Scotland rugby training session at the Stade Nicois Rugby Club, on September 05, 2023, in Nice, France. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

What they said

Head Coach Gregor Townsend: “They (South Africa) are defending champions, so they’ll want to start like a  defending champion and bring their best game in their first game.

“It’ll be a game that is a mix of power and pace.

“I believe it’s going to be a brilliant game. Two teams that are on form, and two teams that are desperate to get out this pool.”

Sione Tuipulotu on his Mum travelling over from Melbourne to see him play this weekend: “My Mum got here yesterday, and it will be the first time she’ll have watched me play rugby for quite a while.

“Obviously it’s her mum that is part of my Scottish heritage and she said she is really proud when she sees me during the anthem and hears the background in terms of Murrayfield, the noise and stuff like that (while watching on television).

“I can’t really imagine how she is going to feel this weekend with the noise in Marseille when I’m playing the world champions.

“That is part of my motivation this week, I don’t need any extra motivation because my Mum is over and she hasn’t seen me play for a while.”

The team

The Opposition

The stats

• Scotland’s last win against South Africa came in 2010, triumphing 21-17 at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.
• Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones have started in the centres in all nine of Scotland’s games in 2023, and will make that ten on Sunday.
• Scotland have won six of their nine matches so far in 2023, scoring at least four tries in five of them.

How to follow the action

The match will be live on STV and ITV from 3.55pm BST on Sunday. You can also follow along in our Live Match Centre with in-game updates, live stats and reaction from former Scotland international Tommy Seymour.