South Africa prove too strong for enterprising Scotland in Nations Championship
A breathless match, all the more so given the thin air of Pretoria, but South Africa march on with another full house of points. Scotland were brilliant in scoring their four tries, their pace and skill. . .
A breathless match, all the more so given the thin air of Pretoria, but South Africa march on with another full house of points. Scotland were brilliant in scoring their four tries, their pace and skill regularly making mugs of their hosts, but power remains the thing the Springboks do better than anyone. At this altitude, it is very hard to stop. The hosts were unanswerable in the middle of each half, scoring five of their six tries around then, but Scotland scored two apiece in the second and fourth quarters. They were within sight of a losing bonus point with 10 minutes to go, but Jesse Kriel’s late score meant they had to settle for one. South Africa broke the game open after a quarter of an hour. Two tries in as many minutes showcased all the power we are well used to and the speed and imagination that give this vintage of Springboks that extra dimension. Scotland seemed to have weathered an early storm. They may or may not have devised an ingenious way of dealing with South Africa’s scrum. An early shove at a scrum in the shadow of their posts meant a free-kick, which these days cannot be used to reset the scrum. So the Springboks came at them the old-fashioned way, only to be held up over the line, which these days is also not followed by a scrum. But Finn Russell, looking a million dollars back in the saddle, kicked the goalline drop-out short, inviting South Africa to set up a couple of rucks, from the second of which Embrose Papier broke with lightning speed to beat two forwards and round Kyle Rowe for a brilliant solo score. South Africa came again from the restart. Boan Venter showed extraordinary strength to hoist the mighty Cobus Wiese in the air and hold him there for a good few seconds, before literally hurling him forward. Wiese was off, swatting aside defenders on a 30-yard charge to the halfway line. The support play that followed was high-class and had Scotland reeling. Wiese took another charge at them, and Evan Roos drove over from close range – 14-0. Quick GuideJansen's debut try helps Ireland to Nations Championship win over JapanShowSean Jansen (centre of picture) scored a try on his Ireland debut as they made it a perfect opening two wins from two in their Nations Championship campaign with a 36-20 bonus-point win over Japan in Australia. Nick Timoney, Tom O’Toole, Robbie Henshaw and Tom Stewart were responsible for Ireland’s other tries, Ciarean Frawley kicked for six points and Harry Byrne for four to ensure they remained top of the Northern Hemisphere group. Ireland head coach Andy Farrell made nine changes from their narrow win over Australia, with Tadhg Beirne captaining for the first time and hooker Ronan Kelleher reaching a half-century of caps. No 8 Jansen started, while his Connacht teammates Billy Bohan and Sam Illo were also handed debuts off the bench alongside Ulster back-rower Bryn Ward. It did not take long for Japan to strike, capitalising on an error-strewn Ireland lineout that allowed Taira Main to run in their first try in the third minute. Ireland hit back six minutes later, keeping the pressure on after Henshaw took a big hit, and were rewarded when Timoney drove between the posts. There was another poor lineout from Farrell’s side before Takuro Matsunaga pulled Japan back in front with a penalty, then Ireland took the lead when O’Toole crossed the whitewash in the 20th minute, aided by Stuart McCloskey. The lead switched again as Matsunaga added a second penalty, but it was 19-13 to Ireland after Henshaw powered over with six minutes remaining in the first half. Illo came on for his debut in a double-change for Ireland, who started the second half more clinically as fellow replacement Bundee Aki justified his introduction, latching on to a Henshaw pass. His run got Ireland close, but it was Jansen who finally finished the job and secured the bonus point in the 50th minute. Japan kept it a contest, taking advantage again after Ireland let themselves down from the lineout, paving the way for substitute hooker Hayate Era to battle his way to a try two minutes before the hour. Byrne added a much-needed cushion with a penalty to make it 20-29 with 10 minutes remaining. Japan were reduced to 14 men when Era was sent off with three minutes remaining before Stewart, set up brilliantly by Ulster teammate Nathan Doak, sealed the win. PA MediaPhotograph: Brendan Moran/SportsfileLesser teams might have folded at that point. Scotland regrouped and struck twice themselves on the approach to half-time. The other way to deal with South Africa’s scrum is to win a penalty there yourself. Pierre Schoeman squeezed one out of Wilco Louw, Scotland tapped and went with pace, and Matt Fagerson took a turn at driving over from close range. Quick GuideSouth Africa 42-28 Scotland: Nations Championship teams and scorersShowSouth AfricaFassi; Van der Merwe, Kriel, Willemse, Hooker (Pollard 46); Pollard (Horn 42), Papier (Williams 42); Venter (Wessels 42), Grobbelaar (Mchunu 62), W Louw (Porthren 42), C Wiese (Dixon 32), Nortje, De Villiers (Tshituka 67; De Villiers 74), Du Toit (capt), Roos (E Louw 42)TriesPapier, Roos, E Louw, Willemse, Porthren, KrielConsPollard 5, Horn__________ScotlandRowe; Steyn, Hutchinson (McDowall 64), Tuipulotu (capt), Dobie (Jordan 68); Russell, White; Schoeman (Sutherland 68), Ashman (Hiddleston 59), Z Fagerson (Hurd 59), Brown (Williamson 64), Cummings, M Fagerson (Bradbury 59), Darge, Dempsey (Bayliss ht)TriesM Fagerson, Rowe, Bayliss, WhiteConsRussell 4Yellow cardDixon 42__________VenueLoftus Versfeld Stadium, PretoriaRefereePierre Brousset (France)Attendance45,053That was great, but the try Scotland scored on the stroke of half-time was better still. South Africa were starting to concede penalties generally. Scotland set up an attack from a lineout, which broke down, but the maestro Russell was on to the loose ball, fed his captain Sione Tuipulotu on the switch, and his carry and off-load put Rowe over – 14-14 all of a sudden. skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionScotland kept the pressure on after the break too, all the more so when Ben-Jason Dixon was shown yellow for a clumsy clash of heads with Scott Cummings at a ruck. But the visitors were not quite able to make his absence tell. When Dixon returned, South Africa did make it tell, breaking the game open all over again with three tries either side of the hour mark. Elrigh Louw became the latest to drive over from close range for the first, Damian Willemse showed great feet and power to combine with Grant Williams for the next, two minutes later, before Zac Porthren, well, drove over from close range. That seemed the game, 35-14 with 15 minutes left. Scotland had other ideas. They have power too, but, boy, do they have pace. Right throughout the team. Scott Cummings of all people, lock forward no less, went clean through a hole in midfield and linked with Josh Bayliss, whose pace is no secret. The flanker ran home to the posts. Scotland were away again from the restart, this time Gregor Hiddleston the next forward to show his pace. His break from his own half precipitated dazzling hands and feet down the left. When the ball came right, Ben White broke from a ruck and reached for the line. Bonus point secured. Alas, the Scots could not hold on to the second bonus point. There were still 10 minutes to play, but it was Kriel who rounded off the scoring with a couple of minutes remaining. He looked somewhat in front of Handré Pollard when he chased the latter’s chip ahead, but he was allowed to gather and run the ball home.