Rugby: Scotland out-shined Springboks
Springboks’ dreams to stay unbeatable on the tour of Northern Hampshire didn’t come true, when Scotland outshined them in the match played at Murray field stadium, Edinburgh last Saturday.
Springboks’ performance was very good on this tour before this match. They defeated Ireland and Wales in their opening 2 matches. But it was not their day and their performance was not up to the mark, which resulted strongly against them.
Scotland was enormously criticized after their big defeat against All Blacks with the score of 49-3 in their first match of this season. But Scotland rearranged them luminously and produced a performance, which every Scottish rugby fan would have loved to
see.
Scottish rugby fans did not have very high expectations from their team before this match, as Scotland’s record against Springboks was not very good in the previous 20 matches they played against them. Scotland only beat Springboks 4 times previously.
It was the match-winning performance from John Barclay that helped his team to win their 5th match against Springboks. John Barclay was also declared man of the match due to his exceptional performance.
John Barclay spoke to media after that win and said his team wanted to show everyone that they were a team not to be taken lightly. They can defeat any team of the world.
"We were so bitterly disappointed after last week. We were determined to show a different side to ourselves this week and this is a step in the right direction. We knew we could do something."
Match started in Springboks’ good turn when Morne Steyn took 3 points for his team in the 3rd minute of the play on a penalty, which he stroked from a long distance of 30 meters and score became 0-3.
Springboks put more pressure on Scotland and succeeded to get 1 more penalty in the 12th minute, which Morne Steyn didn’t miss again and took 3 more points and Springboks’ lead raised to 0-6.
After they went down to a deficit of 6 points, Scotland finally restructured themselves again and took 3 points on a penalty by Dan Parks and the deficit reduced to 3-6.
Parks came in action again in the 20th minute and scored 3 more points on a drop-goal and score became level 6-6.
After equalizing the score, Scotland never gave any serious opportunity to Springboks to come in game again.
2 more penalties from Dan Parks in the 24th and 30th minute took Scotland on a convincing lead of 12-6.
After giving 9 consecutive points to Scotland, Springboks came in action again and Morne Steyn got 3 points for his team on a penalty, when only 4 minutes were remaining of the first half.
The first half ended in Scotland’s lead with the score of 12-9.
Springboks started 2nd half in the same way they started first. Morne Steyn scored 3 more points for Springboks in the 6th minute of the 2nd half and scored leveled at 12-12.
This was the time when it looked that Springboks will take the lead now but Scottish was very sharp on the day.
Scotland took 9 consecutive points when Dan parks stroked the ball 3 times at the right point in the 53rd, 63rd and 67th of the game on penalties. Each penalty added 3 points in Scotland’s score and Scotland took lead of
9 points and score became 21-12.
After took lead of 9 points, Scottish fans were pretty sure that Scotland will win the match as only 13 minutes were remaining. But their breaths were stopped when Springboks substitute Willem Alberts thrived only try of the match and scored 5 points. These
5 points reduced the Scottish lead and score became 21-17 with still 9 minutes left in the game.
But no team was able to score any point in the last 9 minutes of the match and match ended at Scottish’s most famous victory with the score of 21-17.
Final Score Scotland 21 (12) South Africa 17 (9)
Scorers
Scotland
Penalties: Parks 6
Drop-goals: Parks
South Africa
Tries: Alberts
Penalties: Steyn 4
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (AUS)
Teams (15-1)
Scotland: Hugo Southwell; Nikki Walker, Joe Ansbro, Graeme Morrison, Sean Lamont; Dan Parks, Rory Lawson (capt); Kelly Brown, Nathan Hines, John Barclay; Scott MacLeod, Richie Gray; Allan Jacobsen, Euan Murray, Ross Ford
Replacements: Dougie Hall, Moray Low, Richie Vernon, Ross Rennie, Greig Laidlaw, Ruaridh Jackson, Chris Paterson
South Africa: Zane Kirchner; Gio Aplon, Francois Steyn, Jean de Villiers, Lwazi Mvovo; Morne Steyn, Francois Hougaard; Ryan Kankowski, Juan Smith, Deon Stegmann; Victor Matfield (capt), Bakkies Botha; Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis,
Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, CJ van der Linde, Flip van der Merwe, Willem Alberts, Ruan Pienaar, Patrick Lambie, Adi Jacobs
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