Scotland outplayed South Africa for most of the game

A barrage of 17 points in 11 second-half minutes saw South Africa stage an unlikely comeback to beat Scotland in Durban.

For an hour, the tourists played by far the more enterprising rugby and were rewarded with tries from Jason White, Andy Craig and Chris Paterson.

But, despite a double sin-binning, the Springboks finally roused themselves to hit back with tries of their own from Stefan Terblanche and Trevor Halstead.

Added to a steady stream of penalties from the boot of stand-off Louis Koen, those points were enough to snatch victory at the death.

Scotland took a deserved lead with a brilliantly executed try in the 14th minute when Bruce Douglas and Simon Taylor combined to give Jason White a straightforward scoring pass.

Paterson converted and although Koen cut the lead to 7-3 with a penalty, the Scots replied almost immediately with another smart try.

MATCH FACTS South Africa 29 Try: Terblanche, Halstead Cons: Koen 2 Pens: Koen 5 Scotland 25 Tries: White, Craig, Paterson Cons: Paterson 2 Pens: Paterson 2

This time, it was Andy Craig going over after the South African defence got its numbers wrong and left the centre unmarked to take Kenny Logan's scoring pass.

Paterson missed the conversion, though, and Koen's penalties either side of half-time meant the Boks were just three points adrift with more than half an hour to play.

But, just as they did in the first half, Scotland replied immediately and with interest, scoring their third and most spectacular try from deep in their own half.

Logan carved infield from his own 22 before Craig jinked his way to the line and Paterson popped up for the second time in the move to go over for the try.

Paterson converted himself and then added a penalty when Victor Matfield was sin-binned for tackling Glenn Metcalfe without the ball.

But, at 13 points adrift, South Africa suddenly roused themselves and created space for Terblanche to step inside Metcalfe and score on the left.

King's Park action as it happened

Koen converted and added a penalty before another attempt rebounded off an upright for his forwards to recycle and send in Halstead for a try that gave the hosts the lead for the first time.

Another Koen conversion made it 29-25 and, although Scotland set up an injury-time siege of the South African line that saw Joost van der Westhuizen sin-binned and the tourists knock on over the line, the Springboks held on for victory.

South Africa: R Loubscher; S Terblanche, A Snyman, T Halstead, A Willemse; L Koen, J van der Westhuizen (capt); L Sephaka, D Coetzee, R Bands, B Botha, V Matfield, H Gerber , W Van Heerden, P Wannenburg.
Replacements: R Kempson, C Visagie, S Boome, J Smith, Craig Davidson, G Bobo, J van der Westhuyzen.

Scotland: G Metcalfe; C Paterson, A Craig, A Henderson, K Logan; G Townsend, B Redpath (capt); G Kerr, G Bulloch, B Douglas, S Murray, N Hines, J White, S Taylor, A Mower.
Replacements: R Russell, G McIlwham, J Petrie, M Leslie, M Blair, G Ross, J McLaren.