Scotland v South Africa, 3 October

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SCOTLAND V SOUTH AFRICA
3 October 2015
KO: 16:45 BST
St. James' Park, Newcastle

Live on [tbc]

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Touch judges: Chris Pollock (New Zealand) & Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)

A. Head to Head

25 Played 25
5 Won 20
0 Drawn 0
20 Lost 5
270 Points 652

B. Recent Form

28 June 2014
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
55 – 6 to South Africa

17 November 2013
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
0 – 28 to South Africa

15 June 2013
Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
30 – 17 to South Africa

17 November 2012
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
10 – 21 to South Africa

20 November 2010
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
21 – 17 to Scotland

15 November 2008
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
10 – 14 to South Africa

C. Teams

SCOTLAND
 
15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 35 caps; 9 tries, 2 pens, 51 points

14 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps; 8 tries, 40 points
13 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors) – 22 caps
12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) – 31 caps; 4 tries, 20 points
11 Tim Visser (Harlequins) – 22 caps; 10 tries, 50 points

10 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps; 2 tries, 6 cons, 9 pens, 1 drop, 52 points
09 Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Gloucester) – 43 caps; 3 tries, 51 cons, 92 pens, 393 points


01 Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
02 Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
03 Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps; 1 try, 5 points
04 Richie Gray (Castres) – 48 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
05 Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps; 1 try, 5 points
06 Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors) – 2 caps
07 Blair Cowan (London Irish) – 13 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
08 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) – 29 caps


16 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) – 91 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
17 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 49 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
18 Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) – 9 caps; 1 try, 5 points
19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) – 14 caps
20 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 13 caps
21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby) – 7 caps
22 Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps; 1 try, 1 con, 1 pen, 10 points
23 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) – 98 caps; 14 tries, 70 points

SOUTH AFRICA

01. Tendai Mtawarira
02. Bismarck Du Plessis
03. Jannie Du Plessis
04. Eben Etzebeth
05. Lodewyk De Jager
06. Francois Louw
07. Schalk Burger
08. Duane Vermeulen

09. Fourie Du Preez (captain)
10. Handre Pollard
11. Bryan Habana
12. Damian De Allende
13. Jesse Kriel
14. JP Pietersen
15. Willie Le Roux

16. Adriaan Strauss
17. Trevor Nyakane
18. Frans Malherbe
19. Pieter-Steph Du Toit
20. Willem Alberts
21. Ruan Pienaar
22. Pat Lambie
23. Jan Serfontein

So far in Scotland's two games, only the second half has been impressive from them. They cant afford to let the Saffa's off to a flyer.

I just cannot see SA losing this game to be honest.

But then again i could not see therm (SA) losing to Japan.

But on this game i just think that SA have too strong a team to lose to Scotland.

After tonight's games there could well be two former RWC winners starting to do their bag packing.

The key will be to stay close if we can because if South Africa are relatively weak anywhere, it's late in the match.

South Africa have lost five of their last seven games. In three of those defeats they tanked very badly late in the game. Famously, they conceded at the death against Japan, they coughed up 10 points in the last seven minutes against New Zealand and 14 points in the last seven minutes against Australia.

We have shown thus far that our fitness is good and we are strong late in the game. If we're going to win this, that will be how we do it. Need Laidlaw to kick anything that moves and have Weir kick smartly. No point in giving SA lineouts. They have won 27 out of 27 in the tournament so far.

Sing up Bru - can't hear you!

Believe

maestegmafia wrote:After tonight's games there could well be two former RWC winners starting to do their bag packing.

Maybe Maybe not.

But at least the two teams have "WON" A RUGBY WORLD CUP. OK.

Cowan has attempted more turnovers in 4 minutes than any of our players did in the last two games!

C'mon Scotland...

That was a terrible kick to touch - not even in the 22!

majesticimperialman wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:After tonight's games there could well be two former RWC winners starting to do their bag packing.

Maybe Maybe not.

But at least the two teams have  "WON" A RUGBY WORLD CUP.  OK.

There are three teams playing today that have won a RWC...

RDW_Scotland wrote:That was a terrible kick to touch - not even in the 22!

Lucky for the scrum.

Tough call by Nigel on that though.

Not able to toe out lifters

Dodgy set piece and too many turnovers - not the best of starts!

No try!

Not according to the TMO

I am not sure I would have awarded that try. The player coming in after the first attempt was in front so surely an offside?

Extremely bizarre call there!

SA making ground far too easily

Watching this on Dutch TV with Dutch commentary, its all Tim Visser. His feeble attempt has been deemed excellent cover defence

Men against boys just now!

Not sure how they've awarded that try, looked like clear offside to me.

South Africa getting the bounce of the ball. Visser forgetting to defend.

We need to dig deep here. Don't care what anyone says. We've got the 2nd XV out there. I don't like that fact but it could work out in the long run. But it doesn't sit well

Hopefully this is just us having another slow start...

Come on boys we need you to get back into the game

I think Scotland shoud have changed all their lineout calls at this rate!

RDW_Scotland wrote:I think Scotland shoud have changed all their lineout calls at this rate!

Or picked their best players?

So who is Fran Schoise Low?

Scotland getting pinged off the park

We need to be within touching distance by half time or this is going to be a long afternoon.


We need to get out our half!

We need to stop kicking the ball straight down the boks throat as well

Shifty wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:I think Scotland shoud have changed all their lineout calls at this rate!

Or picked their best players?

It does seem like an understrength Scotland team which I really don't like.

Fair enough playing a weak team against the 5th tier, but to play a weak team against the top seed just seems cynical to me, and shows a lack of ambition.

I don't think Scotland are playing too badly, getting on the wrong end of some iffy calls but they are not out of this. SA actually look there for the beating...

eirebilly wrote:I don't think Scotland are playing too badly, getting on the wrong end of some iffy calls but they are not out of this. SA actually look there for the beating...

Wish I had your confidence!

South Africa are taking out our lifters an affy lot

Oh we are Frak now

Strauss has played very well so far, winning the collisions against some of the biggest men in the game. Scotland will want him to come back.

Burger with a neck high tackle on Strauss, Strauss then goes off for a HIA - goes unpunished

Ohhh, great Strauss off for a head check. Wilson on

RDW_Scotland wrote:

eirebilly wrote:I don't think Scotland are playing too badly, getting on the wrong end of some iffy calls but they are not out of this. SA actually look there for the beating...

Wish I had your confidence!

SA are bursting out there, really trying too hard. Scotland have not as yet exerted themselves. Stay in touch at 1/2 time and SA will tire.

And another one on Denton!

Huge tackle count for Scotland...

Oooh yellow card!

Scotland just need to simplify things a bit here - the likes of Vernon, Strauss and Denton are making good ground against the South Africans but the ball isn't quick enough, the support play needs to be better. They need to hold onto possession better as well.

If they can do that, then the game might open up for the likes of Hogg and Seymour.

About time SA are punished for those nasty hits.

Shoulder to head - definite yellow

Commentator is an arse

Hell, can you guys stop bitching?

Weir is sooooooo Poopie

How many times has weir just kicked the ball straight back to them! It's frustrating as hell