The Springboks will play Scotland on Saturday at Murrayfield at 15h00 in a test that history will see them as clear favourites. However, the current Boks will know nothing except a top-class performance will be enough to beat a surging Scotland side.
The Springboks have won the last three tests at Murrayfield. Taking into account that Australia had some success when they kept it tight will have the big and physical Springbok forwards licking their lips. They also have the superior bench in the Bomb Squad and had an extra day to recover and prepare, so Siya Kolisi and company should outlast their hosts in another hard-fought affair.
Elton Jantjies getting a start at flyhalf is exciting and probably a bit overdue considering Handre Pollard hasn’t been at his best and the former Lions leader looks set to produce a big game based on his recent super-sub contributions.
South Africa have won the majority of games played between the two sides, with 22 victories in the 27 matches. Since South Africa's rugby re-admission in 1992, South Africa has dominated once again, winning 17 of the 19 encounters between the two.
However, Scotland is enjoying one of their best seasons in recent history. Gregor Townsend has instilled belief in the team, transforming them from also-rans into brave-hearts.
As a result, they scored stunning wins over England (11-6) and France (27-23) in an ultra-competitive Six Nations campaign that saw them trounce Italy (52-10) and fall just short against Wales (25-24) and Ireland (27-24).
A hit-out against Tonga two weeks ago saw them pick up where they left off, running out 60-14 winners, and as we predicted, they edged the Wallabies 15-13 last Sunday to end the men from Down Under’s five-match winning streak.
Several South African imports like Duhan van der Merwe, Kyle Steyn, Pierre Schoeman and Oli Kebble, could play a major role while former Springbok assistant coach Peter de Villiers, who serves as scrum coach, has also been credited as a major contributor to the recent success of Scotland.
Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend has selected a new-look side to play South Africa after their close win against Australia a week ago.
There are four personnel changes from the starting XV which defeated Australia last Sunday with two each in the forwards and backs, and two on the replacements bench from the Wallabies fixture, along with a positional change in the pack.
Stuart Hogg leads the team from full-back winning his 87th cap, which draws him level with lock Scott Murray in fourth position on the all-time Scotland capped list.
Leicester Tigers centre Matt Scott earns his first Scotland start since June 2017, when he played against Italy in Singapore in Gregor Townsend’s first match as Head Coach.
Scott comes in for his 40th Scotland cap and partners Gloucester Rugby’s Chris Harris, who played South Africa for the British & Irish Lions this summer.
Glasgow Warrior’s Rufus McLean starts on the wing after his double try-scoring debut against Tonga earlier in the 2021 Autumn Nations Series, with Worcester Warriors and Lion Duhan van der Merwe completing the back three.
Lions half-back pairing Finn Russell, also named as Vice-Captain, and Ali Price both start following their strong showing against Australia.
In the pack Edinburgh Rugby’s Nick Haining comes into the starting back-row on the blindside flank as club-mate and Vice-Captain Jamie Ritchie moves to the openside.
Glasgow Warriors Matt Fagerson continues at number eight.
Hamish Watson, himself a Lions tourist this summer, is named in the replacements.
There is a return to the front-row for Edinburgh Rugby’s Stuart McInally at hooker and he packs down with Lion Zander Fagerson and Edinburgh Rugby’s Pierre Schoeman, who earns his third start at loosehead prop.
Edinburgh Rugby’s Grant Gilchrist and Exeter Chiefs’ Sam Skinner continue their second-row partnership following their role in the win over the Wallabies on Sunday.
Townsend has added experience to the replacements with Edinburgh Rugby’s Blair Kinghorn providing cover across the backs alongside Glasgow Warriors scrum-half George Horne and Gloucester Rugby’s Adam Hastings.
Watson will bring dynamism from the bench and is joined in the forward replacements by the players who helped to see out the Wallabies victory.
Sale Sharks hooker Ewan Ashman is in line for his second cap with Glasgow Warriors props Jamie Bhatti and Oli Kebble selected alongside Edinburgh Rugby lock Jamie Hodgson.
Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend said: “Sunday’s result against Australia was another positive step in the evolution of this team, but there is more to come from this group. And we’ll have to raise our level of performance on Saturday against the world champions.
“We know what to expect from the Springboks in how they play and the physicality they will bring across the team. We have therefore selected a side that we believe can both meet that challenge and give us the platform to impose our game on the opposition. It should be a full-blooded contest and will require intensity and focus across our 23-man squad for the full 80 minutes.
“As a playing and coaching group we took a huge amount of energy from the crowd at BT Murrayfield through their outstanding support against Australia. We can’t wait to get back out in front of our people again this weekend.”
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber made two rotational switches and one injury enforced change to the starting side that defeated Wales 23-18. Mostert comes in at lock and Elton Jantjies earns a run at flyhalf, with both Lood de Jager and Handré Pollard moving to the replacements bench.
Le Roux has been named to take over at fullback from Damian Willemse, who has to follow concussion return to play protocols after taking a knock to the head last week.
The match will also be memorable for Steyn, who will edge Victor Matfield as the player with the longest Springbok career by becoming the first South African to play Test rugby over 15 calendar years, should he take the field.
Matfield’s career spanned over 14 years and 122 days, while Steyn – who has been on the winning side in 55 of his 72 Tests and scored 144 points – is in line to increase that mark to 15 years and two days in the second of three Tests in the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour on Saturday.
“Scotland will be a force to be reckoned with at Murrayfield, so it was important for us to maintain continuity within our squad, while at the same time celebrating Jesse and Franco’s 50th caps and giving Elton a chance to start,” said Nienaber.
“Elton has been training very well since the squad assembled before the Castle Lager Lions Series and he’s performed well every time he earned a run, so we thought it was the right time to hand him a start.
“It will be a special day for Jesse and Franco as they run out for their 50th Tests at Murrayfield. They are both fantastic servants of the game and their high work ethic and true team attitude make them vital members of our squad, and we are all delighted to see them achieve this feat.”
The 27-year-old Kriel made his Test debut against Australia in 2015, but Mostert, who turns 31 at the end of the month, had to wait a year longer for his first cap, which was against Ireland in 2016.
Nienaber also lauded Steyn, who, at 34 years old, showed that he still has what it takes to star at the highest level of the game by being named man of the match against Wales last week.
“Playing international rugby for 15 years is an extraordinary achievement and what makes this feat even more remarkable is that Frans continues to show his class despite being at the twilight of his career,” said Nienaber.
“His influence is equally valuable off the field and it is fantastic to have a player of his calibre guide the young players in the squad.”
The Springboks may have only suffered two defeats against Scotland at Murrayfield since 1994 (in 2002 and 2010), but with the home side coming off a morale boosting victory against Australia last weekend, and wins against England, France and Italy in the 2021 Six Nations, Nienaber expected a hard grind of a Test.
“Scotland have a quality team with a number of experienced players and a few British & Irish Lions players, so we are under no illusions about the challenge ahead,” said Nienaber.
“They are a physical side with solid set pieces, but they also have the skills to run the ball, so we’ll have to be accurate on attack and defence.
“We laid a good foundation for the tour in Cardiff last week, and we know what areas we would like to improve on. We created opportunities to score points last week, but we didn’t convert some of them, and we also conceded several penalties, so we need to step up our discipline as well.
“The scrums will of course be a key battle with former Springbok scrum coach Pieter de Villiers now serving that role for Scotland, but that is an area of the game we pride ourselves on too, so we need to be physical and accurate up front.”
Teams:
Scotland: 15. Stuart Hogg (c), 14. Rufus McLean, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Matt Scott, 11. Duhan van der Merwe, 10. Finn Russell, 9. Ali Price, 8. Matt Fagerson, 7. Jamie Ritchie, 6. Nick Haining, 5. Grant Gilchrist, 4. Sam Skinner, 3. Zander Fagerson, 2. Stuart McInally, 1. Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: 16. Ewan Ashman, 17. Jamie Bhatti, 18. Oli Kebble, 19. Jamie Hodgson, 20. Hamish Watson, 21. George Horne, 22. Adam Hastings, 23. Blair Kinghorn.
Springboks: 15. Willie le Roux, 14. Jesse Kriel, 13. Lukhanyo Am, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Herschel Jantjies, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Kwagga Smith, 6. Siya Kolisi (c), 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 1. Ox Nché. Replacements: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Steven Kitshoff, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. Lood de Jager, 20. Jasper Wiese, 21. Cobus Reinach, 22. Handré Pollard, 23. Frans Steyn.