South Africa vs Scotland RWC 2015 match report: Schalk Burger and Bryan Habana put Springboks on course for quarter-finals

South Africa 24 Scotland 16

Bryan Habana scores for South Africa against Scotland (Getty Images)

There are no ifs or buts now. If they are to make the knockout phase of this World Cup, both Scotland and South Africa must win their final games in Pool B, but whereas the Springboks have a straightforward task, against the USA on Wednesday, Scotland must return to Newcastle next weekend to deal with the threat posed by the fading Samoa, knowing that if they do not, then Japan could be treading not only on their heels but their toes too.

If Japan win their remaining pool game (also against the USA), they could overtake Scotland for a place in the last eight. If the Scots are to prevail, they must find a way of starting the first half as well as they began the second here.

In all three games thus far, Scotland have struggled before the interval. Vern Cotter, their head coach, knows they cannot give opponents a start: “We don’t seem to have the confidence to start well, to put our game in place ruthlessly,” he said. Not only that, having got into the habit of scoring tries against Japan and the USA, here they found touchdowns hard to come by.

Their one try came from an interception whereas the Springboks built their game patiently. All the muscular play traditionally associated with them remains, exemplified by Eben Etzebeth in the forwards and the newcomer Damian de Allende in the backs. They may not have managed a bonus point but, after a week in which Jean de Villiers, their captain, retired from international rugby with yet another World Cup injury, they have dug their way out of a huge hole.

Perhaps the induction on the pitch yesterday into World Rugby’s Hall of Fame of Nelson Mandela proved inspirational. In principle, of course, World Rugby would love to see Japan reach the knockout phase, even if the Scots themselves would find that a less than intoxicating notion. But Scotland could take heart from their second-half display, in which they found a degree of continuity and restricted their white-shirted opponents to one try.

Given that for the first 40 minutes they did not once play their way into the Springbok 22, they needed to turn matters around badly. Their problem came in the collisions which, invariably, they lost. The set- pieces performed well, they made a dent in South Africa’s previously immaculate line-out return but they could not prevent the powerful line-out drives from which the Springboks scored one try and one penalty before the break.

Schallk Burger opened the scoring for the Springboks (Getty Images)

In Handre Pollard, moreover, the Springboks have a fly-half who could put his foot on the game and direct it properly. Scotland wanted to play a fluid game and bring Stuart Hogg’s pace to bear but they could never win enough front-foot ball with which to do it. Hogg left early, with what appeared to be cramp and with a stern warning from Nigel Owens. The Welsh referee clearly though Hogg guilty of diving after a brief contact with Tendai Mwatarira.

The Springboks scored as soon as they constructed a decent set of phases: Duane Vermeulen was held just short but Schalk Burger was shunted over the line by his colleagues. A collapsed maul gave Pollard the first of his four penalties and Richie Gray had to make a valuable line-out steal six metres from his own line to keep South Africa at bay before Pollard added another penalty from close range.

Greig Laidlaw recovered three points but he could not convert a second penalty when Jannie du Plessis was sent to the sin-bin for not using his arms going into a maul. Nor could Scotland stop their 14 opponents from scoring another try before half-time. It stemmed from a line-out six metres out, driven forward before Fourie du Preez sent J P Pietersen scooting through Matt Scott’s tackle to the line.

The 10 minutes that followed the interval proved far more productive for Scotland. They were able to create pressure from a line-out, South Africa offended at a ruck and Laidlaw kicked the goal.

Even better, he added the conversion to a try scored by Tommy Seymour but made when Pollard’s pass, deep in Scotland territory, fell into Duncan Weir’s hands. The fly- half is no one’s idea of a speedster, but he eluded two defenders before laying back the ball 10 metres short of the Springbok line for Tim Visser to pick up and send in Seymour.

But, like all good sides, South Africa hit back instantly, creating the position from which Pollard dropped a 35-metre goal. Moreover Laidlaw, Scotland’s captain, was sent to the sin-bin for a late tackle on Bryan Habana as the wing chased his own kick ahead. In his absence, Weir kicked another penalty but the influential figure was Pollard as his kicking opened up the gap, one penalty soaring over from 50 metres.

A delightful break by Hogg deserved better but the pass to Seymour was forward and, hard though they tried, the Scots could not crack the Springbok wall, nor could they stop the last word going the other way. The Springbok forwards built steadily, Adriaan Strauss made a penetrating run and, from the ruck, Du Preez sent Habana scuttling into the corner. After such a difficult fortnight, under fire from so many critics back home, South Africa may be said to be up and running again.

Scotland: S Hogg (S Lamont, 62); T Seymour, R Vernon (P Horne, 65), M Scott, T Visser, D Weir, G Laidlaw (captain; sin bin 53-63; S Hidalgo-Clyne, 70); G Reid (A Dickinson, 51), F Brown (R Ford, 61-75), W P Nel (J Welsh, 64), J Gray (T Swinson, 68), R Gray, J Strauss (R Wilson, 30-35, 55), B Cowan, D Denton.

South Africa: W le Roux; J P Pietersen (P Lambie, 70), K Kriel, D de Allende (J Serfontein, 74), B Habana; H Pollard, F du Preez (captain; R Pienaar, 79); T Mwatarira (T Nyakane, 61), B du Plessis (A Strauss, 56), J du Plessis, (sin bin 34-44; F Maherbe, 50), E Etzebeth, L de Jager (P-S du Toit, 74), F Louw, S Burger (W Alberts, 70), D Vermeulen.

Referee: N Owens (Wales)