What We Learned: SA v Scotland

Scotland failed to select their strongest team – targeting Samoa in their final pool game as their access to the quarter-finals – and started the game tentatively (again), and in the end were comprehensively outplayed by the Springboks. Besides capitalising on an intercept with excellent support play for their sole try, it was not a happy day for Scottish rugby. The rugby world expects so much more from a Vern Cotter-coached team.

The Boks are back. The Brighton debacle is firmly behind them now, they are through to the quarter-finals, and are again realistic contenders for the RWC 2015 final.

We learned or had confirmed…

Winning a majority of possession, controlling territory, tight defence, and physical intensity are cornerstones of the Bok game.

Fourie du Preez is the Bok talisman, decision-maker and playmaker, the master of their game-plan execution. With Du Preez fit, the Springboks are a formidable team, a threat to every opposition team at the World Cup; without him the Boks are vulnerable.

Handré Pollard, Damian de Allende, and Jesse Kriel are inexperienced youngsters and not yet wise decision-makers, but with Du Preez at 9 taking this pressure off them, they don’t need to be.

In Bismarck du Plessis and Adriaan Strauss, the Springboks have the two best hookers at RWC 2015.

The counter-rucking was at times potent. The Scots were smashed backwards and robbed of the ball. Of course, the challenge will be to repeat that against tougher opposition.

Kicking for position was wayward at times, costly perhaps against a team better equipped to launch counter-attacks. Handré Pollard, Willie le Roux, and JP Pietersen were all guilty of poor tactical kicking execution.

Willie le Roux’s use of his leftboot on the left touchline gains too little distance.

The injured Victor Matfield is important to the team because he is still the best lineout jumper in the world, on his ball and competing on opposition ball, but Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager were again magnificent individually and as a lock pair.

Duane Vermeulen’s comeback from nearly four months on the touchline has been remarkable.

Bryan Habana may be a veteran now, but he remains one of the very best attacking and defensive wings in the game – an invaluable Bok asset with three youngsters at 10, 12, 13.