Scotland vs South Africa as it happened: Result and reaction after late surge takes Springboks to victory
Scotland 15-32 South Africa: The world champions overcame a fighting performance from the hosts to open their November campaign with a win
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Your support makes all the difference.South Africa overcame a battling showing from Scotland at Murrayfield to emerge as 32-15 victors in their Autumn Nations Series opener.
The Springboks were short of their best in Edinburgh and made to earn every point by the hosts, who were right in the fight for much of the contest despite losing Scott Cummings to a red card 20 minutes in. A handful of missed opportunities came to cost Gregor Townsend’s side, though, and a late surge from the world champions widened the final margin.
Makazole Mapimpi’s first-half double had put South Africa in control, though Scotland refused to go away, with Tom Jordan impressing from full-back and their forwards fronting up strongly. But while they survived the initial impetus of the Springboks’ seven bench forwards, that injection of power eventually told, with Jasper Wiese scoring in the final moments from an emphatic pushover scrum.
Re-live all of the action from Murrayfield in our live blog below:
Scotland 12-19 South Africa, 50 minutes
A lovely RG Snyman pull-back helps South Africa get to the edge, though Andre Esterhuizen’s offload evades two waiting teammates. Pieter-Steph du Toit’s go-go-gadget arms ensure all is not lost, and to the left they then sweep, a wide pass tipped over the crossbar by Scotland full-back Tom Jordan and landing in Makazole Mapimpi’s hands.
The wing can’t stay in play but South Africa have a scrum to come back to, which this lost will enjoy.
Scotland 12-19 South Africa, 49 minutes
If Scotland can survive this next ten minutes, they will be in good stead - South Africa have rather played their trump card early, hoping to kill the game off with the injection of power.
Ah, that’ll frustrate the Scotland coaches - a free kick at the scrum. Off the Springboks go from a quick tap.
Scotland 12-19 South Africa, 47 minutes
The Scottish lineout is pilfered and off the heavy mob go, RG Snyman, Pieter-Steph du Toit and co. thumping it up. But Scotland re-steel rather impressively, and eventually draw an error, a well-timed counter ruck forcing the ball free from the hands of scrum half Jordan Hendrikse.
Scotland 12-19 South Africa, 46 minutes
Knocked on! All that mass doesn’t count for much if you don’t get your accuracy spot on, a spill at the tail after the maul is stalled.
And Eben Etzebeth, the lone remaining starter in the Springboks pack, compounds the error, hauling Zander Fagerson to the floor to escalate a minor scuffle. He is penalised and Scotland can clear in comfort.
Scotland 12-19 South Africa, 45 minutes
And that is not what you want to see coming on at this juncture. The rest of the bench South African forwards are thrown on in unison, Malcolm Marx, Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit amongst them. Scottish shudders all around Murrayfield.
Scotland 12-19 South Africa, 44 minutes
Scotland execute their restart receipt drill rather better than South Africa, clearing to their own ten-metre line. Bosh! A thumping one-two punch from the Springboks, first Andre Esterhuizen hulking up and then RG Snyman meatily meeting a would-be tackler and getting an offload away.
Esterhuizen shows off some of his softer skills, prodding a grubber into the corner. Scotland escape, but not far - South Africa will have a lineout inside the 22.
PENALTY! SCOTLAND 12-19 South Africa (Finn Russell, 43 minutes)
A fourth penalty of the afternoon for Finn Russell.
Scotland 9-19 South Africa, 42 minutes
Scotland switch the direction of travel and Finn Russell searches for Tom Jordan with a raking wide pass, which he is perhaps fortunate is deflected forwards by South African hands before better-placed Springboks can rush up to intercept it.
Scotland win a scrum penalty, and this should be three points.
Scotland 9-19 South Africa, 41 minutes
Snyman makes a hash of his first involvement, the second half restart going straight through his hands and into the face of Kwagga Smith behind him. Scotland scrum, and an early opportunity for some points.
Second half...
Right, the two sets of 15 are back out there, Scotland with Max Williamson in the ranks after the lock replaced the sent off Scott Cummings. That 20-minute red card trial does take some getting used to.
South Africa have a new second row of their own - the gargantuan RG Snyman has been tearing up trees since a summer switch from Munster to Leinster, and is on for Franco Mostert, it appears.
Back underway.
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