Spirited Scotland falters as South Africa secure 32-15 victory at Murrayfield

Scotland 15-32 South Africa, Murrayfield

Scotland delivered a spirited performance against world champions South Africa but ultimately fell short, losing 32-15 in a gripping Autumn Nations Series match at Murrayfield.

Despite closing the gap to just four points in the second half, Scotland couldn’t capitalize on their momentum, with all their points coming from the boot of Finn Russell. South Africa sealed the game with a late try, extending their winning streak over Scotland to nine matches.

The Springboks struck early with a clinical try just four minutes in when fly-half Handre Pollard launched a pinpoint kick to Makazole Mapimpi. The veteran wing evaded Scotland's Tom Jordan to cross the line, putting South Africa up 5-0. Pollard missed the conversion, leaving the score 5-0.

Scotland’s early penalty opportunity was thwarted as lock Scott Cummings received a yellow card for a dangerous ruck clear-out, later upgraded to a 20-minute red following a TMO review. Playing a man down, Russell still managed to put Scotland on the board with a penalty in the 17th minute, reducing the deficit to 5-3.

Against the odds, Russell’s accurate kicking briefly gave Scotland a 6-5 lead. However, South Africa quickly responded as Thomas du Toit collected a loose ball from a lineout, securing another try with Pollard converting for a 12-6 lead.

Another Russell penalty closed the gap, but Mapimpi dashed over again after a Willie le Roux cross-field kick, with Pollard’s conversion bringing the score to 19-9.

Just before halftime, Scotland appeared to pull within three points when Ben White crossed the line after a break from Jordan, but a TMO review nullified the try due to a knock-on by Huw Jones. Scotland went into the break trailing 19-9, despite several moments of promise.

Three minutes into the second half, Russell kept Scotland in contention with another penalty, narrowing the score to 19-12. However, South Africa’s powerhouse substitutes including Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit, entered the game and applied heavy pressure.

Scotland held their ground, even gaining a player advantage when Mapimpi received a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.

Despite the extra man and solid momentum, Russell opted for a penalty kick instead of pushing for a try, bringing Scotland within four points at 19-15. Pollard swiftly countered with a penalty for South Africa, restoring their lead to seven.

As Scotland struggled to breach the Springboks' defense, Pollard’s consistent kicking widened the gap to 25-15 in the 74th minute. Jasper Wiese’s try in the dying moments put the final nail in the coffin, securing a 32-15 victory for South Africa and leaving Scotland to rue missed opportunities.

Head coach Gregor Townsend’s side showcased tenacity and flair, especially with Russell’s strategic playmaking and an energized second-half performance.

Yet, their inability to convert opportunities and maintain discipline proved costly. The early red card for Cummings, coupled with two disallowed tries, stalled their momentum against a Springbok side that remains one of the most formidable teams in the world.

This defeat marks Scotland’s ninth consecutive loss to South Africa and leaves Townsend and his team reflecting on missed opportunities and areas for improvement. With another match in the Autumn Nations Series looming, Scotland will need to regroup quickly as they aim to bounce back and break their losing streak against top-tier opposition.

Team line up:

Scotland: Jordan, Kinghorn, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt) Van der Merwe, Russell, White; Schoeman, Ashman, Z Fagerson, Gilchrist, Cummings, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Reserves: Richardson, Sutherland, Millar Mills, Williamson, Bayliss, Ritchie, Dobie, McDowall.

South Africa: Le Roux, Moodie, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi, Pollard, Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, T du Toit, Etzebeth, Mostert, Van Staden, Louw, Smith.

Reserves: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, Snyman, Kolisi, PS du Toit, Wiese, Williams.