South Africa’S Quick Three-Try Salvo Sinks Scotland

Scotland 3 – 27 South Africa A South African salvo of three tries in seven minutes in the second quarter sunk Scottish hopes of a World Cup warm-up victory at Murrayfield in the Bank of Scotland Corporate August Test match this afternoon. But those were to be the only tries of a highly intense contest.Scotland 3 – 27 South AfricaA South African salvo of three tries in seven minutes in the second quarter sunk Scottish hopes of a World Cup warm-up victory at Murrayfield in the Bank of Scotland Corporate August Test match this afternoon. But those were to be the only tries of a highly intense contest. Afterwards, Scotland head coach Frank Hadden commented: “We got exactly what we needed from this game. We looked like a team with one warm-up game whereas South Africa had had about 10. The very good side that South Africa are they took advantage of that. “We were unsure about our two-match strategy. They boys felt like it was three matches. “But we are not unhappy about where we are at this stage.” Jason White, Scotland’s captain, also compared the win against Ireland two weeks ago and this game. “The intensity was a big step up from the Ireland game. I’m disappointed: I thought we were going to push the “Books close.” Jake White, South Africa’s coach, complimented the Scots’ sterling efforts in his post-match summary. “To come out without conceding a try was exactly what we wanted, especially considering the Scots cored five tries against Ireland. This is a very good Scottish team.” Scotland took the lead with a Chris Paterson penalty after only 10 minutes. But the Springboks struck back with a Percy Montgomery penalty goal as a prelude to the three-try blitz. After early, brief South African pressure Rory Lamont retorted with three testing kicks deep into the visitors’ half. Twice he chased and caught the ball, the second venture unleashing a stream of Scottish recycling, with notable thrusts by Simon Webster and Euan Murray. Lamont’s third kick ahead procured a penalty in the visitors’ 22, and Chris Paterson kicked the goal. South Africa responded three minutes later with a Percy Montgomery penalty goal after Bryan Habana had only just failed to reach the ball as he chased into the right corner. But Habana was not to be denied. Off a scrum close to the line, from Dannie Roussow’s pick-up, he sprinted in for a try, his 22nd in 28 Tests. That was in 22 minutes, and. Jaque Fourie and Fourie du Preez then quickly followed up with a try each, both also from close range.Fourie du Preez’s high kick into the home 22 could not be gathered by any of three Scots, and Francois Steyn exploited the confusion to create a try for Jaque Fourie. Then du Preez scored himself after a concentrated assault that involved key thrusts by two front-row forwards, C J van der Linde and Gary Botha. Montgomery converted all three, and it could have been worse. Between the first and second tries young Steyn was not far wide with a penalty from fully five metres inside his own half. Jason White, Scotland’s captain, had to leave the field with a head cut 10 minutes before the interval. At the same time South African prop Os Du Randt also departed with a blood injury. But both were back in action for the second half. By then, the game was more or less won and lost. Habana almost had a second try, the electric wing denied by Lamont’s saving tackle in the Scots’ left corner. But 10 minutes into the second half Montgomery stretched the margin to 24 points with his second penalty goal. It was to be the only score of the second half, and Scotland remained highly competitive, persevering in seeking even the slightest gap in the visitors’ defensive line. Those were rare, though the Scots’ all-round efforts were summed up by prop Euan Murray’s charge up the right flank. Gavin Kerr retired during the first half because of a toe injury, and after the match David Callam had to hospital for an X-ray on a facial knock. ScotlandRory Lamont (Sale Sharks); Nikki Walker (Ospreys), Rob Dewey (Ulster), Andrew Henderson (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Webster (Edinburgh); Chris Paterson (Gloucester), Mike Blair (Edinburgh); Gavin Kerr (unattached), Ross Ford (Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Northampton Saints), Nathan Hines (Perpignan), Jim Hamilton (Leicester Tigers), Jason White (Sale Sharks) CAPTAIN, Dave Callam (Edinburgh), Kelly Brown (Glasgow Warriors). SubstitutesAllan Jacobsen (Edinburgh) for Kerr (29 minutes), Allister Hogg (Edinburgh) for White (30 to half-time), Hugo Southwell (Edinburgh) for Henderson (48), Scott Murray (Montauban) for Hamilton (48), Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) for Paterson (54), Hogg for Callam (65), Fergus Thomson (Glasgow Warriors) for Ford (68), Rory Lawson (Gloucester) for Blair (68). Penalty goal, Paterson. South AfricaPercy Montgomery; J P Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Francois Steyn, Bryan Habana; Butch James, Fourie du Preez; Os du Randt, Gary Botha, C J van der Linde, Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield CAPTAIN, Schalk Burger, Danie Rossouw, Juan Smith. SubstitutesB J Botha for du Randt (30 to half-time and 64), Andre Pretorius for Steyn (58), Wikus van Heerden for Roussow (58), Albert van den Berg for Bakkies Botha (64), Bismarck du Plessis for Gary Botha (64), Ruan Pienaar for du Preez (64), Ashwin Willemse for Pietersen (72). Tries, Habana, Fourie, Du Preez; conversions, Montgomery (3); penalty goals, Montgomery (2). Referee – Christophe Berdos (France). Man of the match – Juan Smith. Attendance – 30,342.