South Africa 55
Scotland 6
SCOTLAND WERE HEAVILY defeated by South Africa in Port Elizabeth this afternoon. The hosts ran in eight tries to hammer their guests 55-6.
Flanker Marcell Coetzee and JP Pietersen starred for the Springboks as the eight tries were shared out among five players.
The Scots, who entered the game on a three-match winning streak under new coach Vern Cotter, got off to a dreadful start. They never touched the ball for the opening three minutes and droves of South African pressure led to an early try for blindside Marcell Coetzee. Handré Pollard, fresh from the Junior World Championships and on his Test debut, chipped over the simple conversion.
Duncan Weit got Scotland off the mark with a penalty, on seven minutes, but the Springboks quickly regrouped. Slick passing and a numbers advantage out wide did for the visitors and Willie le Roux was on the final overlap to dot down for an easy score. On 16 minutes, winger Lwazi Mvavo pounced on an intelligent JP Pietersen grubber to make it 19-3.
The Boks briefly lost star fullback le Roux to injury after he was deliberately shoulder-barged by Scottish hooker Ross Ford. A late offside penalty gave Weir a chance to reduce the arrears. He did so but Scotland fans will wonder why their team did not opt to go for the corner and an attacking 5m line-out.
The Scottish players showed clear signs that they were one game away from their summer break as soon as Coetzee powered over for his second and South Africa’s fourth try, on 51 minutes. Pollard converted to make it 26-6 and the TMO awarded a try to Pitersen soon after as he squirmed over to dot down.
The floodgates opened in the final 20 minutes and there was a further Mvovo try and a double from second row Lodewyk de Jager. A long season ends on a disappointing note for the Svots while South Africa, next weekend, return to Super Rugby action.
Scorers for South AfricaTries: Coetzee (3, 51), le Roux (10), Mvovo (16, 61), Pietersen (56), de Jager (64, 78)
Cons: Pollard (4, 11, 52, 62, 65), Boshoff (79)
Pen: Pollard (44)
Scorers for Scotland
Pens: Weir (7, 36)
South Africa: Willie le Roux; Conall Hendricks, JOP Pietersen, Jan Serfontein, Lwazi Mvovo; Handre Pollard, Fourie du Preez; Coenraad Oosthuizen, Bismarch du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis; Lodewyk de Jager, Victor Matfield; Marcell Coetzee, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Adriaa Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Marcel van der Merwe, Stephan Lewies, Teboho Mojoje, Francois Hougaard, Marnitz Boshoff, Zane Kirchner.
Scotland: Stuart Hogg; Sean Maitland, Nick De Luca, Peter Horne, Tommy Seymour; Duncan Weir, Henry Pyrgos; Al Dickinson, Ross Ford, Geoff Cross; Tim Swinson, Grant Gilchrist (capt.); Rob Harley, Chris Fusaro, Adam Ashe.
Replacements: Kevin Bryce, Moray Low, Euan Murray, Jonny Gray, Tyrone Holmes, Grayson Hart, Dougie Fife, Peter Murchie.
