Springboks weather ferocious Scotland storm to secure victory in Loftus thriller

In what is sure to be an instant classic, the Boks twice took control of the contest only for the Scots to come roaring back with a breathless display of attacking rugby.

Scotland had the Boks under immense pressure for large periods of the match, combining committed forward play with a well-drilled attack and superb interplay between backs and forwards that repeatedly left the hosts scrambling.

On the flip side, the Boks were not at their best, with their defence in particular failing to fire. They missed too many tackles and allowed Scotland to create dangerous overlaps, while a high penalty count handed the visitors plenty of possession and attacking opportunities.

But despite being under the pump for large parts of the match, the Boks kept their heads and found a way to win as they so often do, showing incredible composure, character and resilience when they needed it most.

A few moments of class from some of their most experienced campaigners - Handre Pollard, Damian Willemse and Jesse Kriel - at the death made all the difference in the world - while a number of new faces also impressed, even if the team was seldom firing on all cylinders. 

And the Boks were deadly whenever they did get an opportunity - still racking up six tries. Had they been less clinical in Scotland's red zone - the result might have been very different.

If Rassie Erasmus hoped to properly test his squad depth and see some of the wider group perform under pressure, while still picking up all five log points, then Saturday’s Test at Loftus will be considered a huge success  - even if it cost the Bok coach a couple of extra grey hairs along the way.

How it happened

It was a slow start from the Boks, with a missed line-out throw and a couple of early penalties keeping Scotland on the front foot and inside Springbok territory - a sign of things to come.

With just over 10 minutes gone, however, the Boks got a chance of their own in the Scotland 22, opting for a scrum when they were awarded a penalty right in front. 

While the visitors weathered the initial salvo, the Boks went back on the attack from the restart, with Embrose Papier spotting a gap behind the ruck and darting straight through the Scottish defence for a spectacular solo try, one several years in the making.

The next try came straight from the restart and was a thing of beauty from the Bok pack. Cobus Wiese rose to take the kick-off before producing a barnstorming run and offloading to Paul de Villiers, who surged into the red zone, where a couple of strong carries ended with Evan Roos stretching over.

Scotland looked to hit back strongly as they continued to display their confidence with ball in hand, but a couple of superb steals - the first from Johan Grobbelaar and then another from Ruan Nortje - kept them at bay.

But when a scrum penalty went against the Boks right in front of their own sticks and the visitors opted for a quick tap, the pressure finally told as Matt Fagerson found a way over the line.

With time running out in the first half, it got even better for Scotland, as Kyle Rowe crossed for another well-worked try that came from another Bok penalty - even though it looked like Aphelele Fassi had been taken out in the build-up - as the Scots headed into the break with their tails up and the scores level at 14-14.

The Boks would have wanted a strong start to the second half but instead what they got was a yellow card, as substitute Ben-Jason Dixon made glancing head contact while attempting a counter-ruck.

The ensuing penalty put Scotland right back on the attack, but their maul was held up over the line. A strong run from Nortje allowed them some welcome breathing room, but it wasn't long before the Scots were piling on the pressure again.

Somehow, the Springboks survived the onslaught, and when they finally got an opportunity at the other end of the pitch after a rare mistake from the Scots, they showed some real grit to create an opportunity for Elrigh Louw to score a much-needed try.

That try seemed to spark the Boks back into life - and just like the first half, their second try followed shortly after the first, as the backline got in on the act with some smart passing and fancy footwork - particularly from Damian Willemse, who danced his way over the line for a great try.

When a couple more penalties put the Boks back in the red zone, it was young Zachary Porthen's chance to add to the tally as the Boks seemed at last to gain the upper hand.

But just when Scotland seemed dead and buried, the Boks let their focus slip. From nowhere, the visitors scored two tries in quick succession to find themselves right back in the contest, with both tries starting with defensive blunders and massive gaps opening up in midfield.

A superb crossfield kick nearly saw the Scots in again, as the Boks suddenly found themselves fighting for their lives to hold onto what had been a 21-point lead just minutes earlier.

But with time winding down, there was time for one bit of magic to finally put the game to bed. A pitch-perfect grubber kick from Handre Pollard sat up for Jesse Kriel, who showed his class by weaving through the defence for a fantastic try, as a breathless 80 minutes ended with a hard-fought 42-28 victory for the Boks.