Scotland will go into the match against the Springboks with spirits high after putting together a complete and world-class performance against a Fijian side who were fresh off the back of a Pacific Nations Cup title, which they managed to do despite missing the likes of Finn Russell and Ben White.
Challengers South Africa will look to reclaim the world no.1 spot from Ireland by silencing Scotland. The mighty Springboks are travelling to Edinburgh off the back of being named The Rugby Championship winners after thumping Argentina 48-7 to seal the top spot.
History
Scotland and South Africa have played each other on 29 occasions, with the Springboks winning 24 of the games, and Scotland claiming five wins (the last back in 2010). Scotland’s five wins against the Springboks have all come at home (1906 in Glasgow, 1965, 1969, 2002, and 2010 at Murrayfield).
The last time these teams met was during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, South Africa beating Scotland 18-3 after a tight first half.
The Springboks’ physical, structured approach stifled Scotland's attack, showcasing their defensive skill and composure under pressure. However, Scotland’s recent form and adjustments could make them a tougher challenge this time, with a team that looked a different beast versus Fiji.
Selection headaches
South African head coach Rassie Erasmus faces selection headaches for this week's clash versus Scotland, particularly in crucial positions such as scrum-half and fly-half. Erasmus can go with experienced players like Handre Pollard and Cobus Reinach or can look to inject flair with a pairing like Manie Libbok and Grant Williams.
In the forwards, Erasmus must account for the absence of Frans Malherbe, likely with Thomas du Toit or Vincent Koch stepping up at tighthead. The Springboks' world-renowned "Bomb Squad" bench setup could be a 6-2 split, maximising forward impact against the Scots.
Scotland’s lineup was bolstered by the return of winger Darcy Graham. His 16 tries in his last nine Tests which includes three hat-tricks, outlining his clear offensive threat. Scotland’s attacking prowess doesn’t stop there, with recently crowned all-time national try scorer Duhan van der Merwe picking up his 29th Scotland try on the weekend and will be hunting for more this weekend.
Gregor Townsend's squad will be strengthened this weekend with star players like vice-captain Fin Russell, Ben White, and Blair Kinghorn now available for selection. All three are likely to play a crucial role.
Graham, outstanding against Fiji with his four tries, failed an initial head injury assessment and has been confirmed as set to miss the Springboks clash due to HIA protocols. Rowe who showed great footwork to open the scoring, came off just before half-time with a hamstring injury.
Scotland's head coach is aware of the scale of the task on Sunday “I think we’ll have to be on it every action, every minute against South Africa because they're the best team in the world, world champions, however we want to describe them. We obviously have other players coming back into our squad that through their experience and their ability will raise our levels again.”
Stats dive
Both Scotland and South Africa have been in points-scoring form this international year, with Scotland averaging out at 37 points per game and South Africa sitting second with 34.4 points per game. These are the two highest average points scorers of all the men’s Tier 1 nations in 2024.
It’s not just in attack that these two sides thrive: both have strong defensive records, and sit second and third on the list of fewest points conceded this year. Springbok have an average of 17.3 per game, while Scotland has an average of 18.1 points per game. Only Ireland have a lower average than all sides in the world.
The kicking battle is going to be a highly contested area, and one that has Scotland ahead in the statistics - especially from the tee. Scotland had the highest place-kicking success rate of any side in the 2024 Guinness Men’s Six Nations with a staggering 96% success rate. South Africa had the lowest success rate of the 2024 Rugby Championship with just 68% success, meaning this could be an area that proves pivotal for Scotland and costly for South Africa, with defensive and attacking stats otherwise suggesting parity.
