South Africa acquired the defence of their title off to a formidable begin on Sunday when a second-half surge allowed them to overpower a toothless Scotland 18-3 to maneuver into a robust place within the World Cup’s “group of demise”.
Two tries in three second-half minutes from flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit and wing Kurt-Lee Arendse pulled the Springboks clear and Scotland had been unable to discover a method again into the competition, barely threatening the South African tryline all recreation.
Scotland now face a tough street to qualify from Pool B for the quarter-finals and can doubtless need to beat Eire when the groups meet of their last group recreation in Paris on Oct. 7 to face an opportunity.
Scotland matched South Africa’s energy within the opening 40 minutes and trailed 6-3 on the break, nonetheless within the contest with out creating many scoring alternatives.
As soon as the Boks’ highly effective forwards got here off the bench within the second interval, there was one other shift in momentum they usually had been capable of comfortably maintain the Scots at bay.
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That being stated, the most effective likelihood of the primary half fell to the northern hemisphere aspect as wing Darcy Graham created a three-on-one alternative however held onto the ball when he wanted to launch a workforce mate to canter over the Bok line.
South Africa misplaced lock Eben Etzebeth after 26 minutes, changed by RG Snyman, and that modified the dynamic of a scrum battle they’d been profitable to that time.
Scotland compelled a penalty from the set-piece in their very own 22, after which shortly afterwards one other in vary for Russell to safe three factors and halve the deficit on the stroke of halftime.
South Africa got here out with renewed depth within the second interval, smashing their opponents backwards on the scrum to earn a penalty that put them in Scotland’s 22.
From there they moved the ball by phases, gaining just a few metres at a time, earlier than Du Toit crashed over from shut vary.
One strive grew to become two three minutes later as Libbok noticed Arendse in acres of area on the fitting wing and his cross-kick was excellent for the diminutive again to attain within the nook.
It was poor defending and a sucker-punch for the Scots, who in fact had been out of the competition after 50 minutes and had been simply shut-out by the Boks.
South Africa play their second pool recreation towards Romania in Bordeaux subsequent Sunday, whereas Scotland have to attend two weeks earlier than they tackle Tonga in Good on Sept. 24.