Spirited Scots push Boks right to their limit

FLY-HALF Handre Pollard scored 18 points to provide the platform for a narrow win for South Africa over hosts Scotland. The two countries traded two tries each in a magnificent, open first half before Pollard’s boot edged the Springboks to victory in a contrastingly tense and bruising second period where only three more penalties were added.

Pete Horne and Hamish Watson went over for Scotland while Jesse Kriel and Pollard were South Africa’s try scorers, with Pollard adding two conversions and three penalties.

Greg Laidlaw kicked 10 points for Scotland.

It was another close call for South Africa, who lost to England by a point and then scraped past France over the previous two weekends. Scotland, meanwhile, lost for the second time in three weeks after losing to Wales in Cardiff.

Captain Greig Laidlaw believes Scotland are chapping on the door of the world’s rugby elite.

He saw enough in a brave display against a Springboks side which shot down the All Blacks only two months ago to convince him his side are not far away from claiming they sit alongside the best teams on the planet.

‘I honestly believe we are right up there. [Head coach] Gregor [Townsend] spoke in the changing room after the game that he feels South Africa are really up there in terms of the top two or three teams in the world.

‘We showed that we are right in these games, on another day we can win so we are going in the right direction.

‘We are disappointed we have lost but we need to put that to the side and bounce back next week and give a strong performance against Argentina.’