Check out how to watch South Africa v Scotland in a Rugby World Cup 2023 match, including TV details and more. <\/p>
The opening clash aside, this may be the first weekend\u2019s most intriguing game. Scotland fans tend to sit painfully between cautious hope and eternal fatalism, often swinging between the two.<\/p>\n
A win over France in August, followed by a close defeat to them the next week, will have imbued supporters with some of that cautious hope.<\/p>\n
Seeing the Springboks rout the All Blacks at Twickenham may have just swung that pendulum back towards to inherent despair.<\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s credentials speak for themselves. They\u2019re reigning World Champions, rich in offensive talent and equipped with the planet\u2019s most dominant forward pack.<\/p>\n
Scotland\u2019s defence and resolve will be tested, particularly at set-piece time. Intelligence, power and the subtle angling of SA\u2019s line-out jumpers means even the perfect maul defence against them may not be enough.<\/p>\n
What Scotland will need to bank on is their creativity and risk taking. South Africa\u2019s three World Cup titles have been built on a defence obsessed with keeping the opposition try-less, something they\u2019ve done in 19 WC matches.<\/p>\n
If Scotland can cause problems at ruck time and force turnovers, they may find some gaps that the likes of Finn Russell and Huw Jones can exploit in transition.<\/p>\n