Don’t look Bok in anger
RUGBY AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS SCOTLAND........54 FIJI........17
GORDON PARKS AT MURRAYFIELD PETER HORNE insists Scotland’s demolition of Fiji has removed the fear factor ahead of Saturday’s showdown against South Africa. The Dark Blues centre believes Rassie Erasmus’s resurgent side deserve their rating as third best on the planet but can’t wait for what will be another momentous Murrayfield encounter. Gregor Townsend’s men bounced back from an opening Autumn Test loss to Wales in Cardiff with an eight-try hammering of a Fiji side who managed to build a lead during the first half before being blown out of the water. But South Africa’s win over the All Blacks two months ago isn’t a result which Horne believes will have anyone in the Scotland set up running scared from Saturday’s challenge. He said: “The last time w e played the Boks at the last World Cup, they’d just lost to Japan but ended up going on a great run and played really well for the rest of the tournament. “They then had a couple of years where they have maybe not been quite as good but now, just as they are flying again, we’ve got them coming to Murrayfield. “But it’s a game we’re looking forward to. We want to test ourselves against the best teams in the world and it doesn’t get much bigger than South Africa right now. We don’t need to fear them.”
Townsend brought back the big guns against Fiji with skipper Greig Laidlaw, Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg all key figures.
It wasn’t without some testing moments as the Pacific Islanders impressed during an opening half an hour when two tries allowed them to get their noses in front.
Tommy Seymour stole the show with a hat-trick of tries and he was followed by Allan Dell, Fraser Brown, Sean Maitland, Jamie Ritchie and Adam Hastings all crossing over on an afternoon in Edinburgh which had Scotland exhibiting maturity and flair.
Horne admitted a more ruthless edge must be applied against the South Africans.
He said: “There were times in the finish zone when the forwards were doing some great work but in the back-line we needed to communicate a bit better.”
Scotland head coach Townsend said: “To get eight tries and have the players feel that atmosphere behind them is a boost going into next week. The players know that Saturday is a huge step up.”