BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | International | Battling Scots down Springboks

Scotland 21-6 South Africa

Scotland beat South Africa for the first time in 33 years on Saturday after turning in a fine performance at Murrayfield.

The Scottish eight harried the big South African pack - a stone a man heavier - throughout the game and the hosts were rarely threatened.

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Brendan Laney contributed 11 points with the boot and tries from Budge Pountney and Nikki Walker helped the Scots turn history on its head.

Butch James banged over two penalties for the South Africans but they were very poor and their struggles continue.

South Arica's Pierre Uys is wrapped up by Scottish hooker Gordon Bulloch
Pierre Uys is wrapped up by Gordon Bulloch

The Scottish forwards were quicker out of the blocks and Scotland were 6-0 ahead inside the first nine minutes through two Laney penalties.

The hosts saw plenty of the ball in the first 20 minutes and Gordon Ross' accurate boot pinned the Boks back and secured good field position for the Scots.

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Ross narrowly failed to extend the hosts' lead with a drop goal before they threatened through an appropriately bullocking run from man-of-the-match Gordon Bulloch

Stuart Moffat, a Scottish cricket international, was the next to threaten and as the half hour approached Laney just failed to dribble his way over.

When the South Africans finally threatened it took a James charge down of Ross' kick, and even then Walker was able to hack clear.

James finally got on Boks on the board with a penalty after 32 minutes after Pountney charged into a ruck from the side.

Match details

Scotland 21
Tries: Budge Pountney, Nikki Walker
Pens: Brendan Laney (3)
Cons: Laney

South Africa 6
Pens: Butch James (2)

And they levelled the scores after a fine drive from a line out resulted in another James penalty.

Scotland then picked up the tempo once more and after some surging drives Laney had a great chance to put the Scots ahead on the stroke of half-time.

The kilted Kiwi was presented with an easy penalty but he pushed the chance wide.

They had a lucky escape two minutes into the second half when Chris Paterson just beat Breyton Paulse to his kick ahead.

But the Springbok winger turned villain two minutes later as he held onto the ball in the tackle and Laney slotted the penalty.

It was a busy few minutes for Paulse and he was soon back in the Boks' good books as he ran down Paterson after the Scot had intercepted Werner Greeff's kick.

Vital score

The Scots finally went over two minutes later when Pountney was awarded a try by the video referee to round off a series of short-range attacks.

Laney added the extras to take the lead out to 16-6 but he then missed two penalties as Scotland continued to have the upper hand.

They settled any remaining nerves among the passionate Murrayfield crowd when a desperate South Africa pass behind their own line was touched down by Walker.

Laney missed the extras but Scotland were out of sight as they recorded their first win over South Africa since 1969.

Scotland: S Moffat, N Walker, A Craig, B Laney, C Paterson, G Ross, B Redpath (capt), S Taylor, B Pountney, M Leslie, S Grimes, S Murray, B Douglas, G Bulloch, T Smith.
Replacements: S Scott, D Hilton, N Hines, J White, G Beveridge, G Townsend, B Hinshelwood.

South Africa: W Greeff, B Paulse, M Joubert, R Fleck, F Lombard, B James, J Conradie, W Roux, L Van Biljon, D Carstens, M Wentzel, J Labuschagne, C Krige, P Uys, J Van Niekerk.
Replacements: J Dalton, C van der Linde, A Venter, P Wannenburg, J Botha, A Pretorius, B Russell.

Referee: N Williams (Wales)


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