Written by @QuintenLetcher for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
South Africa vs Scotland | Saturday 28 June | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium | 17:00
The Springboks wrap up their June Test series in Port Elizabeth this week with a once-off clash against an ever improving Scottish outfit. Vern Cotter is the ill-fated fellow that landed the daunting task of cleaning up the gruesome train-wreck left by Aussie foghorn Scott Johnson, and he’s fared relatively well so far with victories over the USA, Canada and Los Pumas in his first month at the helm. But this weekend’s colossal clash against the formidable South Africans will give Cotter a far better idea of just how far the Dark Blues have actually come since that humiliating 51-3 battering at the hands of the Welsh in Johnson’s final failure as coach, and just how much work needs to be done before next year’s World Cup.
The Springboks were caught napping last week when a remarkably improved Welsh side hit the ground running in Nelspruit, dominating the overconfident locals for most of the eighty minutes in a performance so unbelievably superior to their feeble showing in Durban that it may even have left Warren “Gasbag” Gatland speechless for a short period of time. But to their credit, the resilient Boks dug deep, and miraculously bounced back from a 13-point deficit to snatch a late 31-30 victory over the understandably dismayed tourists. The Springboks should be grateful having learned a valuable lesson about complacency this early in the season, and will hopefully now approach this clash against Cotter’s experimental Scotland with the appropriate caution.
To Win (80mins)
South Africa 1/25
Scotland 10/1
Draw 35/1
Handicaps
South Africa (-24.5) 9/10
Scotland (+24.5) 9/10
South Africa
Heyneke Meyer has made several changes to the side that denied the Red Dragons their just deserts last week, with the most exciting of those changes coming in the form of U20 captain Handre Pollard, who starts at pivot in his Springbok debut. The Springbok bench seats a further four fresh faces with Marcel van der Merwe, Stephan Lewis, Teboho Mohoje and Marnitz Boshoff all looking for their first taste of Test rugby. Sweeping changes in the forward pack see Coenie Oosthuizen taking over in the front row from the injured Tendai Mtawarira, Lood de Jager claiming his first international start in Flip van der Merwe’s absence and the unyielding Schalk Burger running on in the number seven for the first time since 2011.
Scotland
Scotland have made four changes to the side that claimed a narrow victory over a second-string Argentina last week, with youngster Adam Ashe making his international debut despite having yet to start a game for his club side the Glasgow Warriors. In the other changes, Henry Pyrgos starts ahead of Grayson Hart at scrumhalf, Tim Swanson replaces Jonny Gray in the engine room, and Chris Fusaro starts on the flank in place of Blair Cowan.
VERDICT: Scotland (+24.5) 9/10
While I think it is safe to say a convincing Springbok victory is inevitable, this excitingly optimistic Scottish side could very well prove trickier than anticipated. Vern Cotter is in no way disillusioned about his side’s chances against the well-oiled Springboks, but is nonetheless relishing the opportunity of exposing his budding talent to this accomplished Southern Hemisphere force. With his side running out this Saturday harbouring such rare a mentality, the promised gain of experience considered far more valuable than a potential upset, you can rest assured the Scots are going to prove a relentless force for the full eighty minutes in Port Elizabeth. And with the Springboks opting to start with a flyhalf that, while undeniably talented, has yet to be tested at this level, the backline could take some warming up before the attack starts to flow as elegantly as watchers have become accustomed to. All of this makes the chances of the Scots keeping within the generous handicap quite plausible.
Think we’ve got it wrong? Well leave your comments below and tell us how you think this is going to play out.
