Following his debut against Fiji last weekend, Tom Jordan has been named at full-back for Scotland’s clash against reigning world champions South Africa this Sunday, making his first start in a Scotland shirt. Injuries to Kyle Rowe and 4-try hero Darcy Graham mean that Top 14 and European Champions Cup winner Blair Kinghorn also comes into the team and will start on the right wing.
Finn Russell and Ben White are chosen at half-back but the rest of the backline remains unchanged from the victory over Fiji, with Huw Jones and captain Sione Tuipulotu once again forming the centre partnership.
In the forwards, the lineup remains consistent with the team that triumphed over Fiji. Rory Darge continues as vice-captain and completes an all-Glasgow Warriors back row alongside Matt Fagerson and Jack Dempsey.
Grant Gilchrist and Scott Cummings anchor the second-row for a second consecutive week, while Zander Fagerson, fresh off the joy of becoming a father to twins (presumably hence the personal reasons that almost kept him out last week) joins Pierre Schoeman and Ewan Ashman in the front row. Congratulations Zander!
The bench sees Dylan Richardson and Rory Sutherland named as front-row replacements, with Elliot Millar Mills returning after missing last weekend. Max Williamson is also among the substitutes, joined by Josh Bayliss and Jamie Ritchie to facilitate a 6-2 forward split. Jamie Dobie and Stafford McDowall round out the matchday 23.
Scotland record against South Africa
Scotland have beaten South Africa only five times in 29 games, and in in the lifetime of the site only one win, the most recent in 2010. The competitive nature of Glasgow Warriors performances in South African both this season and last should at least give them confidence that a lot of these players are not the big green bogeymen of yore, even with “Edinburgh reject” Kwagga Smith set for his 50th cap.
They are beatable, but they’re also a tricky proposition in the Springbok colours. And by tricky I mean very very hard to beat.
Scotland: Tom Jordan, Blair Kinghorn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell; Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: Dylan Richardson, Rory Sutherland, Elliot Millar Mills, Max Williamson, Josh Bayliss, Jamie Ritchie, Jamie Dobie, Stafford McDowall.
South Africa: Le Roux, Moodie, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Hendrikse; Ox Nche, Mbonambi, T du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Van Staden, Louw, Kwagga Smith.
Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, RG Snyman, Siya Kolisi, PS du Toit, Wiese, Grant Williams.
UPDATE: this post was updated to correct the results of the 2018 test which was incorrectly marked in the database as a Scotland win.
9 responses
Good luck today Scotland
Kinghorn …. OMG!
That red card upgrade was absolutely scandalous. Where do they get these officials from?
Was at the game so will need to watch it back on tv but Scotland seemed to be reffed off the park today. Not what you need when you’re playing the world champions.
But for a few errors (probably due to ferocious SA defence) Scotland could have been in it at the death. As it is, a 17 point loss seems harsh given how they played.
Well done boys.
Felt it looked that way on the TV as well. Decisions definitely went SA’s way
The score line flatters SA. Scotland did a lot right today, and were unlucky, not least with the refereeing which was absurd – the red card ?! No way. The knock on that was actually off a foot, White penalised for being too slow…? but SA taking their time….. no consistency at all. Moving forward
-Tuipolotu needs to learn to talk to the ref.
– subs need to bring some energy, no impact today
– Dvdm needs to run other lines – although Jones’ pass was wayward he was clearly worried about interception. Dvdm needs to read defence better and run accordingly.
– Jordan excellent- should start again
– Altogether a very decent team selection and a more than decent performance, just hindered by small errors, a lack of impact from subs, and a ref/tmo set up that was pathetic.
Btw how much time can pass for a tmo and ref to overturn a try? Once upon a time it had to be queried before the conversion…clearly not now, so can a try (in principle) be overturned say 10 minutes later if its spotted…?
Let’s see how the other nations get on ! Our Lineout needs work before the 6N. If we were to pick the Lions today , how many would be in contention ! Most of them IMO.
I do not understand the yellow/ red card decision.
I’m astounded why these inexplicable officiating decisions often happen at our expense and yet you have Irish players constantly offside at rucks and putting in oscar winning performances making it look like they’re trying to get out of the way. Players coming in from the side and yet no action taken. Maybe Toonie needs to hire a cheating/dark arts consultant.