South Africa vs Scotland - Preview

Having weathered the potential Samoa storm, the Springboks face the less physical but impressively canny Scotland. The Boks are without captain Jean de Villiers and vice-captain Victor Matfield and carry bruises from the Samoan onslaught, but after the debacle of their defeat to Japan, will underrate no opponent. Scotland may be ranked only ninth in the world but they have the acumen to counter the Springbok game-plan; whether they have the personnel to shackle the Boks as Japan did and score sufficient points to beat them, is the question.

Even without De Villiers and Matfield, the Boks have a good mix of senior, established Test players and brilliant youngsters, and should have no problems winning set phase ball, being efficient at breakdown, building the phases to which they are committed, and launching attacking sorties. After their first game calamity, their mindset will be sharp.

Scotland coach Vern Cotter is respected worldwide for his astute rugby brain and famous for his attention to detail. He will have examined the Bok game meticulously, and with nearly a third of his squad bolstered by players from outside Scotland, he will have made plans to counter South Africa’s traditional strengths and to exploit the Boks predictability. Territorial dominance was pivotal to the Bok win over Samoa; gaining territorial parity and avoiding conceding turnovers will be cardinal goals for Scotland.

Whether Cotter has selected his strongest available team is doubtful. Has he perhaps targeted Scotland’s last pool game, against Samoa, as a ‘must-win’ in order to advance to the quarter-finals?

Key players:
For South Africa, Fourie du Preez as scrumhalf and as the new captain; the execution of the Bok game revolves around his 9 skills and decision-making. Duane Vermeulen’s contribution is crucial too, increasingly so as he regains match fitness. The centre pair, Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel, inexperienced but prodigiously talented. For Scotland, Greig Laidlaw at 9, two South Africans playing for Scotland, Josh Strauss (switching from 8 to blindside) and tighthead WP Nel, and the Gray brothers at lock, Richie and Jonny.

The big match-ups:
The captains, both at 9, Du Preez vs Laidlaw. Nel vs Beast Mtawarira. In midfield, Richie Vernon and Matt Scott vs Kriel and De Allende.