Sloppy Springboks have too much firepower for game Scotland at Murrayfield

Finn Russell of Scotland successfully kicks a penalty during the Autumn Nations Series 2024 match against the Springboks at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on 10 November 2024. (Photo: David Rogers / Getty Images)

By Craig Ray

10 Nov 2024

The Springboks started their British tour with a 32-15 (halftime 19-9) win over Scotland at Murrayfield.

This won’t be a Test that will live long in the memory for Springbok supporters despite the ultimately heavy 32-15 victory over Scotland.

It was a match marred by errors and ill-discipline and the best thing that could be said about it, from a South African standpoint, was that it was another win in 2024 for the world champions.

The Boks have now won nine of their 11 Tests this season and will go back to No 1 in the world rankings this week.

They scored four tries without reply against the Scots on a clear, benevolent day in Edinburgh, and yet it felt like watching a large, misfiring diesel engine cough and splutter.

springboks scotland du toit Prop Thomas du Toit of South Africa on his way to score his team's second try against Scotland. (Photo: David Rogers / Getty Images)

There were glimpses of that world-champion swagger, particularly late in the game when the bomb squad had fully taken control and replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams was sending flying one-off runners into contact.

The seven-one split between forwards and backs on the bench paid off in that the Boks “won” the final quarter 13-3, which settled the matter.

At that stage, Scotland were being pummelled and the result was inevitable. Yet that was not the entire story of the match and Scotland might rue not taking their chances when they had all the momentum in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.

Sloppy

It was a sloppy performance suggesting that despite making all the right noises, the Boks went into it with one eye on the clash against England next week.

The Boks made 13 handling errors, conceded 12 penalties, two free kicks, and several lost lineouts and restarts. It was not the performance of a world-champion team, but conversely it was an outcome befitting of world champions.

Such was the gulf in class, and such is the confidence of this Bok unit that despite all their mistakes and slovenly play, they were able to score four unanswered tries and run out winners by nearly 20 points.

Only excellent teams find a way to win when they are well below their best — and this was light years from the Boks’ best.

springboks scotland Eben Etzebeth is tackled by Scotland’s Rory Darge in the Autumn Nations Series 2024 match at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on 10 November 2024. (Photo: Steve Haag Sports / Gallo Images)

Lock and captain Eben Etzebeth produced another strong performance, epitomised by a superb tackle from behind to bring Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe down when he thought he had a clear run to the line.

The starting team looked rusty and makeshift, with the backline battling for rhythm and the forwards struggling at the breakdown.

Loose forward Kwagga Smith is a fine player, but he seems to battle to produce his best when he starts, while lock Franco Mostert looked out of sorts. It’s understandable after four months on the sidelines with a broken leg.

Centre Lukhanyo Am made uncharacteristic handling errors, although he did improve as the game wore on. It was the same story for wing Canan Moodie and centre Andre Esterhuizen. Both only showed flashes of their best.

Scrumhalf Jaden Hendriske didn’t have his best day, battling at the foot of admittedly messy breakdowns, while fullback Willie le Roux produced some fine tactical kicks in an otherwise average outing.

For all these criticisms though, it says something about the Boks that they can win so convincingly while having an off day. It’s not a bad problem to have.

Mapimpi strikes

Wing Makazole Mapimpi scored two tries to take his tally to 32 in 46 Tests. Prop Thomas du Toit and replacement No 8 Jasper Wiese scored the others. Flyhalf Handré Pollard contributed 12 points from three conversions and two penalties.

For Scotland, flyhalf Finn Russell scored all their points from five penalties, which underlined how tough the Boks were to break down even when they were not playing well.

springboks scotland russell Flyhalf Finn Russell scored all of Scotland's points with five penalties.(Photo: David Rogers / Getty Images)

Defensively the Boks were solid, their system holding up despite some individual missed tackles. And as usual, the scrum was a thing of beauty, as Scotland’s pack were dismantled in the set piece.

Scotland had their moments, but they simply couldn’t break the Boks defence. They actually did cross the line once with scrumhalf Ben White touching down, but the try was disallowed for an earlier knock-on by centre Huw Jones. They were left to run down blind alleys for much of the afternoon.

Accurate kicks

The Springboks went into the break 10 points up, having scored three first-half tries to gain scoreboard control of the game, even if their actual control was less secure. It felt slightly fortunate and not a true reflection of the game.

Two excellent tries from Mapimpi, both completed after pin-point kick-passes from Pollard and Le Roux respectively, and a third slightly more fortunate score by Du Toit from a scrappy lineout, told one story.

The other narrative, though, was a half riddled with errors and poor discipline from the Boks. They conceded six penalties in the stanza and knocked the ball on multiple times.

They also lost two lineouts on their own ball and enjoyed their first scrum feed only in the 32nd minute, which immediately led to a penalty advantage.

Scotland also suffered from mistakes. Lock Scott Cummings was yellow-carded and later red-carded on review for falling on to opposite number Mostert’s leg after a “croc-roll” clean-out. It was a harsh call on the Scots. It didn’t even feel worthy of a yellow card.

Barely a minute after that 11th-minute incident, Pollard was the victim of a high shot at a ruck, which was not even reviewed. The inconsistency in these situations is what’s infuriating for players and coaches.

The Boks were the better team, despite the litany of first-half errors, but Scotland deserved better from the officials.

The Boks also felt some injustice when Mapimpi was yellow-carded for alleged cynical play at the breakdown, which was another marginal call.

After the break, Scotland narrowed the deficit to four points with two Russell penalties as they dominated territory and possession in the first 15 minutes.

But for all their huffing and puffing, they couldn’t break the Boks down. When the full bomb squad was deployed en masse in the 46th minute, there was a buzz around the stadium as the likes of Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi and Malcolm Marx entered the battle.

Scotland stayed in the fight, but were slowly subdued by a better team and better players who eventually remembered who they were in the final quarter. DM

Scorers:

Scotland – Penalties: Finn Russell (5)

South Africa – Tries: Makazole Mapimpi (2), Thomas du Toit, Jasper Wiese. Conversions: Handré Pollard (3). Penalties: Pollard (2)

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Sloppy

Mapimpi strikes

Accurate kicks

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