Scotland 18-3 South Africa: Springboks' Rugby World Cup defence off to winning start after second-half double

Kurt-Lee Arendse scored one of two South Africa tries in a crucial three-minute spell early in the second half vs Scotland

Reigning champions South Africa got their 2023 Rugby World Cup defence off to a winning start, as two tries in three second-half minutes proved crucial in beating Scotland 18-3 in Marseille.

After a competitive first half between the sides brought two Manie Libbok penalties and a 6-3 SA lead, scores from Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kurt-Lee Arendse early in the second half blew out the game and put the Springboks in command at the Stade Velodrome.

Finn Russell struck a penalty for Scotland on the cusp of half-time, but it was all they could fashion in the Test, having failed to capitalise on an enormous first-half try chance to lead when wing Darcy Graham spurned the opportunity to pass to an unmarked Duhan van der Merwe.

Gregor Townsend and co may well feel aggrieved too, however, as Springbok centre Jesse Kriel avoided sanction and a potential red card, despite Scottish appeals, for an early head-on-head tackle on back-row Jack Dempsey, with ref Angus Gardner missing the incident and TMO Ben Whitehouse deciding not to intervene.

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A tight contest was blown open in three second half minutes between the Springboks and Scots in Marseille

Scotland started nervously, with two errors inside the first minute, as full-back Blair Kinghorn knocked on the kick-off and Russell was then charged down a metre from his own try-line by Franco Mostert, and very fortunate not to concede a try.

They recovered to clear, but should have fallen 3-0 behind on 10 minutes after a first lineout attack was botched and a second Kinghorn aerial knock-on gave way to a South Africa scrum penalty, only for Libbok to poorly miss wide.

Within a couple of minutes, Libbok was able to put the Boks on the board off the tee, however, when Russell was penalised for a deliberate knock-on.

South Africa fly-half Manie Libbok poorly missed his first penalty, but landed his next one

Before that, Kriel had avoided a card for his tackle, while two more Scotland mistakes - losing a second attacking lineout when well-placed, and skipper Jamie Ritchie conceding a lineout penalty in the air - soon invited the Springboks into their 22, but the move came to nothing when centre Damian de Allende knocked on.

Scotland got away with another charge-down deep in their own half - Eben Etzebeth on Ali Price - as De Allende was dragged into touch, but the reprieve was brief, as a Malcolm Marx jackal presented Libbok with a simple kick to double the Springbok lead on 25 minutes.

Libbok doubled South Africa's lead on 25 minutes after a chain of Scotland errors

In response, Scotland finally got going in attack as wing Graham produced a wonderful step to glide past Du Toit, after which Arendse came in with a try-saving action to stop the ball finding a massive Scotland overload on the opposite side of the pitch, knocking on as did so but doing enough to convince Gardner it was a genuine attempt.

Moments later, Graham butchered a certain try by failing to find Van der Merwe after shooting through the South African defensive press, but Townsend's side would head into the break with points, after a fabulous scrum drive against the head brought a penalty to the delight of Scottish fans, and three points via Russell's boot.

Scotland wing Darcy Graham butchered a certain first-half try by failing to pass to Duhan van der Merwe

Libbok missed a penalty attempt from in his own half early into the second period, before a stunning RG Snyman offload set Cheslin Kolbe - via Frans Malherbe and Kriel - running down the line, but he was just cut down by Kinghorn.

Seven minutes after half-time, the Boks were over for the opening try through Du Toit, though, as he took and won contact vs Sione Tuipulotu, and with support from Mostert behind him, wrestled his way over.

Pieter-Steph du Toit showed his power to force over the line for the opening try

Libbok missed his third kick with a poor conversion, but less than three minutes later he produced a gorgeous kick-pass for Arendse to sprint onto and race down the touchline to score. Scrum-half Faf de Klerk took over the place-kicking and nailed the conversion too for a big 15-point lead.

Arendse touched down for South Africa's second try, having collected a superb Libbok kick-pass

Buoyed by their quick double, South Africa started to play with more tempo and also gained total control at scrum-time, forcing penalties and territory. Even when Russell produced a peach of a 50:22, immensely strong Springbok defence pushed them back and Siya Kolisi ended things with a breakdown penalty.

South Africa replacement scrum-half Grant Williams then came close to scoring what surely would have been the try of the tournament, speeding and jinking past several defenders from deep inside his own 22 to just outside the Scotland one, before Russell brought him down with a despairing tap-tackle.

Perhaps sensing defeat, Scotland struggled and failed to spend any extended period attacking in the time that remained, with their frustration capitalised by a fifth attacking lineout loss in the final play.

Townsend expected TMO to step in over Kriel incident

Scotland coach head coach Gregor Townsend said post-match...

"I saw it from two screens away. It did look like it was a head-on-head collision and I was expecting the TMO to come in and make the referee aware of that.

"Last night a red card [Tom Curry was sent off for England for a similar incident] didn't change the game much in terms of Argentina's favour, so who knows?

"There are still inconsistencies in seeing these things. We are frustrated by that. But we are more frustrated by our own performance.

"We were slow to get going in the first half. We built into the game and physically we were more than up for the challenge of the way South Africa play.

"We only scored three points, that's unusual for us. Credit to South Africa's defence but we will have to be much better there."

Ritchie: We must win every game now

Jamie Ritchie reflects on a frustrating afternoon for Scotland

Scotland's captain Jamie Ritchie said post-match...

"As a group, we have got three massive games to come for us.

"We can't afford to slip up. The pressure is on us now. We have to hit the ground running in two weeks' time.

"Ireland was always going to be a really important game for us, but all the games are must-win now."

What's next?

South Africa next face Romania - who Ireland beat 82-8 this weekend - on Sunday September 17, in their second Rugby World Cup Pool B game, at Stade de Bordeaux (2pm kick-off BST).

Scotland are next in action vs Tonga on Sunday September 24, for their second Rugby World Cup Pool B match, at Stade de Nice (4.45pm kick-off BST).