Finished Murrayfield
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Rugby - Strauss sees South Africa sink Scotland
An Adriaan Strauss double powered South Africa to an ugly 21-10 win at Murrayfield as a spirited Scotland comeback fell short. More
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Live Commentary
Time:80'- Scotland
- South Africa
- 80' South Africa roll on, despite some seemingly rusty wheels. Heyneke Meyer's side are hit hard by injuries and have a list of players back home that would walk into the Scottish team, but he will no doubt wish to see an improvement in his side's discipline. Their penalty count hurt his side early against Ireland, and almost let Scotland back in today.
- 80' Despite an undeniably hard start to the Autumn internationals, the result of back-to-back losses for Andy Robinson's side it that Scotland will be unseeded at the next World Cup - unable to break the top eight of the IRB rankings before the cut-off date.
80' Despite a spirited comeback that brought the Murrayfield crowd to their feet - Scotland were unable to convert good pressure into points. South Africa are making a habit of winning ugly, but may need more at Twickenham next week.- 77' Scotland's form try-scorer knocks on under pressure with the try-line at his mercy. The winger has had little to do but that ranks as their best opportunity in five minutes of solid pressure.
71' Jackson, on for Laidlaw, goes to the air looking to chip over the rush defence. However much like his predecessor's efforts it is fielded comfortably by Kirchner.- 70' Another early hit gives Scotland great possession, and charging into the 22 win another penalty for taking out Pyrgos. The referee again turns down calls for a yellow card, and Scotland again go to the corner.
- 67' Brown finds himself out wide and takes a Kirchner high - and chargeing forward, the big man is unable to find Visser, but Grant is a willing runner. The attack breaks down however, although with a little composure Scotland could have been in, as they look the more dangerous side.
- 66' Coetzee, on for Alberts, with a bruising tackle and turnover that wins a penalty and puts South Africa back into Scottish territory.
- 64' An error gives the ball right back to South Africa and they clear, but only as far as Hogg who runs the ball back to the 22m.
- 63' Early South African hit at the scrum. Scotland ball and Murray looks hungry.
- 61' Steenkamp makes way for van der Mewe and his first act will be to defend a Scotland line-out on his own 5m. The line-out is not straight, and Ford costs his side a great attacking platform.
- 61' Scotland lose momentum but win a penalty for offside. The home side have come alive since the Pyrgos try and the Springboks look rattled.
- 59' Pienaar sees his box kick charged down, then Lambie is also charged down. Scotland regain the ball and are flooding forward.
- 58' Kellock bumps a defender but the big man doesn't quite have the pace to make the line and Laidlaw opts for a cross-kick. It's a poor one and Kirchner takes it easily and clears his lines.
- 54' Hogg pushes his side into the opposition half with the penalty kick - and the Murrayfield crowd rises. Great running by Grant and Denton again edges Scotland to the 22.
- 53' Pyrgos goes on another darting run, but fellow try-scorer Strauss comes up with a turnover ripping the ball free before knocking on himself. The Scotland front-row respond to their half-back's play, winning a penalty at the scrum.
- 53' Scotland look to open up their game - Laidlaw throws a wide ball to Hogg, but the Springbok outside defence read it well.
- 51' A great moment for the young man in only his second test - and conversion means the home side keep that crucial two-score deficit.
50' TRY!!! Scotland respond straight away through new-boy Pyrgos. The young half-back picks out a gaping hole in the Springbok line-out to dart over from five metres.- 48' Ruthless coaching by Robinson - Blair is given the hook immediately after his interception. Pyrgos on.
- 46' Strauss is keeping Saracens star Britz on the bench - and his sprint to the line will show Meyer that Britz is not the only Springbok hooker who can run in the open field.
- 46' TRY!!! Strauss crosses for his second as he intercepts a loose pass on the halfway line as Blair looked to pick out a wide pod of forwards.
- 45' Hogg launches a 70m clearance the finds Alberts tracking back - much to the Scottish full-backs blushes the lumbering back-row steps his as he chased his own kick.
- 43' Lambie makes a half-break but Scotland give the South African back-row a taste of their own medicine, robbing Alberts in the tackle to relieve pressure.
- 41' Lambie again looks for a cross-kick early - looking to replicate Dan Carter's success last week - but miscues. Scotland are still pinned in their own half, and South Africa win a scrum in a dangerous midfield position.
41' Lambie gets us underway as Scotland look to fight their way back into the match, and back into the top eight of the IRB rankings.- 40' Both possession and territory stats show no clear advantage to either side - South Africa edging the territory number 52%-48%, Scotland winning the possession numbers by the same amount. This game looks to set to be decided at set-piece and at the breakdown - and the visitors are winning both areas.
- 40' Having crossed twice last week against the All Blacks, Tim Visser has cut a frustrated figure this afternoon. Scotland have been unable get any of their wide men into the action in what has been for them a losing kicking battle. However the same can be said of South Africa's outside threats - new-boy de Jongh limited to a single touch.
- 40' After a series of scrum resets, Hogg kicks the ball out to end the half. The home side go in within two scores, and although they have been the poorer side there will be enough there to suggest to Andy Robinson that the game is still winnable.
- 39' Better defence by the home side - a captain's tackle by Brown forcing a turnover and a chance to escape with just an 11 point deficit at half-time. You would imagine they would be happy to do just that.
- 38' In a familiar phase Scotland give up a needless penalty - playing Pienaar when they had no right to, and Lambie goes for the corner.
- 33' The Scots are 5m out with great work put in by Barclay and Murray - but to the boos of the Murrayfield crowd, substitute Kellock is whistled for holding on.The referee is correct - outstanding work on the ground by Louw.
- 33' Great defence to bring down Kellock instantly but he Scots keep the ball tight and hammer the fringe defence of South Africa.
- 31' Denton returns a Pienaar box kick with interest - beating the first defender and getting into the Springbok half. Scotland win the penalty and Hogg with a fantastic touch kick finding the corner.
- 30' Better defence by the Scottish pack and they force the Springboks back and wide, but Louw busts his way through a tackle and Brown kills the ball 5m out - yellow card bait for the referee, but he signals just a penalty. Lambie strokes it over with ease.
- 29' With the chance at a turnover - Scotland are over-eager conceding another penalty which Lambie puts into the corner. Everyone in Murrayfield knows what's coming.
- 28' The visitors win another kicking exchange, both full-backs exchanging kicks with Kirchner's clearance finding the touchline just inside the Scottish half.
- 27' Great shove by Scotland and Pienaar has to scramble to get the ball out.
- 25' Scotland recylcle well - putting together seven phases - but are unable to break the South African 10m line. With slow ball coming, De Villiers reads Dentons run, and hit the number eight hard, forcing a knock-on.
- 23' Pienaar ghosts through the Scottish line-out and is dragged down Grant. Andy Robinson will not be happy with his side's performance at the line-out - an area where his side were expected to compete with a Matfield- and Bekker-less South Africa.
- 22' Lambie misses his first of the day as Kellock is set to come on for Gray. A blow for Scotland but Gray never recovered from the hit.
- 20' TRY!! Strauss is the man at the bottom of the pile as a Springbok maul rolls right over the top of the Scottish pack after a well-executed short line-out.
- 19' Scotland give up the advantage with a needless penalty for taking the man out at the line-out - Lambie's touch finder puts them back on their own line.
- 18' An easy escape for Scotland, as the Springbok front-row is whistled for an early engagement. Hogg clears to the 10m.
- 17' Gray is back on his feet and Scotland will restart with a huge scrum five metres out from their own line.
- 16' Lambie chips a ball beautifully into the left corner - Hogg fields it well but the chase pins him five metres from his own line. Gray offers himself on a short ball but is smashed by Louw, knocking out the athletic lock.
- 14' Denton - a surprise omission last week after an impressive 6 Nations - gets smashed as Scotland look to build momentum inside the South African half. South Africa scoop up the loose ball and relieve pressure.
- 13' Lambie knocks over a much easier strike from right in front - and the young playmaker so far justifying Meyer's decision to hand him the kicking responsibilities over Pienaar.
- 12' Laidlaw is whistled for offside at the lineout - a sign of nerves by the Scottish 10 as the South African back-row look to target him coming off the tail.
- 9' Hamilton crashes round the corner and the Gloucester captain wins a penalty for his side just outside the 22 as du Plessis is caught leaving his feet. Scotland level the scores with their first real attack.
- 8' As the sides pack down the Springbok pack disrupts, but does not dismantle the Scottish scrum and Blair goes down the blind side.
- 6' As they return the ball, the Springboks win another penalty at the breakdown as their huge back-row begin to flex their muscles. Lambie points to the goal posts this time and nails the penalty from the Scotland 10m.
- 4' With Steyn on the bench, Lambie turns down a very kickable penalty and stabs the ball into the corner. However the visitors cough up the ball at the line-out and are whistled as the try to reclaim possession. Scotland clear their lines, but miss touch on the penalty.
- 3' Alberts gets his first touch taking a ball off the back of the line-out - the monster back-row rumbles Laidlaw and the Springbok pack clear over and win penalty.
- 2' Hogg leaps well to take a Lambie high ball as South Africa go to the air early - three kicks in their first two possessions.
1' Scotland kick-off high and deep forcing Pienaar into a good box kick.- 14:25 SOUTH AFRICA: Gurthro Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Juandre Kruger, Francois Louw, Willem Alberts, Duane Vermeulen, Ruan Pienaar, Pat Lambie, Francois Hougaard, Jean de Villiers, Juan de Jongh, JP Pietersen, Zane Kirchner... SUBS: Schalk Brits, Heinke van der Merwe, CJ van der Linde,Flip van der Merwe, Marcell Coetzee,Morne Steyn,Jaco Tatue, Lwazi Mvovo.
- 14:25 SCOTLAND: Ryan Grant, Ross Ford, Euan Murray, Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton, Kelly Brown (captain), John Barclay, David Denton, Mike Blair, Greig Laidlaw, Tim Visser, Matt Scott, Nick De Luca, Sean Lamont, Stuart Hogg... SUBS: Dougie Hall, Kyle Traynor, Geoff Cross, Alastair Kellock, Stuart McInally, Henry Pyrgos, Ruaridh Jackson, Peter Murchie.
- 14:20 Both sides have shuffled their front rows with possible Lion Euan Murray returning for the home side, having missed last Sunday's game due to religous reasons, and Gurthro Steenkamp preferred to CJ van der Linde at loosehead in the absence of Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira - who withdrew late last Saturday with heart palpitations and has returned to South Africa.
- 14:15 Heyneke Meyer's side notched their first away win of the year in Ireland last weekend - but made hard work of it. The world number two Springboks finished strongly, however Meyer will hope for an improvement in his side's discipline today, after a string of first-half penalties meant the Springboks had to come from behind to beat the Irish.
- 14:10 But there is an added incentive with Scotland needing to win to overtake Ireland and sneak into the world's top eight in time to claim a second seed spot in the 2015 World Cup draw, which takes place on December 3.
- 14:05 Victory would be a much-welcomed boost ahead of the RBS 6 Nations as Andy Robinson's men look to shed themselves of the wooden spoon.
- 14:00 Scotland are looking to bounce back from the heavy defeat by the All Blacks in the same way they did in 2010, by beating the Springboks.
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Summary
Scotland versus South Africa Pyrgos 51’ Tries Strauss 21’, 45’ Laidlaw 52’ Conversions Lambie 46’ Laidlaw 10’ Penalties Lambie 6’, 14’, 32’ Drops
Live Team Line-Up
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ScotlandManager: Andy Robinson
On the Field
- Grant
- Ford
- Murray
- Gray
- Hamilton
- Brown
- Barclay
- Denton
- Blair
- Laidlaw
- Visser
- Scott
- De Luca
- Lamont
- Hogg
Subs
- Hall
- Kellock
- Jackson
- Cross
- Traynor
- Murchie
- McInally
- Pyrgos
Injured
None
Suspended
None
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South AfricaManager: Heyneke Meyer
On the Field
- Steenkamp
- Strauss
×2 - du Plessis
- Etzebeth
- Kruger
- Louw
- Alberts
- Vermeulen
- Pienaar
- Lambie
- Hougaard
- de Villiers
- de Jongh
- Pietersen
- Kirchner
Subs
- van der Linde
- Steyn
- Brits
- van der Merwe
- van der Merwe
- Mvovo
- Coetzee
- Taute
Injured
None
Suspended
None
- Steenkamp
Scotland have not got the depth, and they play with pride and passion, and always will, and u have to accept , they can only work with what they have, but they are no longer the whipping boys and can hold thier own against most teams now.As they proved they can beat the big teams, but, they need to do it more often.The talent poolthey have to choose from is small and when injury effects them it makes it harder.S.A are rebuilding and they still just have enough talent to scrap in, last week against Ireland, a ten minute sin bin won them the game.
Go Boks !!!
Big call Raymond. I can't pick this one so I guess I will have to say even odds for both teams. If SA do not turn up until the second half like they did last week then it may be too late. When Scotland have their tails up they are a different team than Ireland who never look like they have won the game until she is in full voice.
scotland could take this one.....you heard it here first :)
