Bold Scotland fail to stop steady Springbok charge

Scotland produced a spirited display but lacked the guile to get over the line as they went down to a 32-15 defeat by world champions South Africa at Murrayfield. Three first-half tries – two from Makazole Mapimpi either side of an opportunist score from Thomas du Toit – gave the Boks a 19-9 interval lead after the Scots had the double setback of a 20-minute red card for Scott Cummings and a Ben White try chalked off.

- ANTHONY BROWN

Gregor Townsend’s side rallied impressively after the break and got to within four points, but they were made to rue their inability to cross the whitewash while on top, with all of their points coming from the boot of Finn Russell. South Africa eventually pulled away in the closing stages, with a try from Jasper Wiese in the last action of the match sealing their ninth consecutive victory over Scotland.

The hosts’ cause appeared to have been aided by the fact Rassie Erasmus rested some of his key players for the first of three Tests in the UK this month, although the Boks head coach loaded his bench with brute force and experience in a typically bold 7-1 split. The visitors went ahead in clinical fashion after just four minutes.

Handre Pollard lofted a perfectly weighted kick out to the left for Mapimpi and the 34-year-old wing, who also scored a brace in his side’s 30-15 victory on their last visit to Murrayfield three years ago, evaded a challenge from Tom Jordan as he eased over the line. Pollard was off-target with his conversion attempt.