South Africa vs Scotland - 11/07/2026

[saulan]

SA team announced:

Quite a lot of rotation, 10 players from the England game retained from the England game. My biggest concern is at 10. Pollard had a bad run of games in the URC knock-outs and having Horn as the 10/15 back-up doesn't provide a lot of experience as coverage - although the likely plan will be Horn to 15, Willemse to 10 and Pollard off.

 

[ChicagoKid]

SA team announced:
View attachment 26238
Quite a lot of rotation, 10 players from the England game retained from the England game. My biggest concern is at 10. Pollard had a bad run of games in the URC knock-outs and having Horn as the 10/15 back-up doesn't provide a lot of experience as coverage - although the likely plan will be Horn to 15, Willemse to 10 and Pollard off.

Pollard will come good. Form is temporary.

Willemse at 12 is spicy.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I see SA are resting their big boys for the proper test they face next week against Wales. Smart. I don’t fancy their chances either way but at least it should be a competitive game.

 

[Ddanno]

SA team announced:
View attachment 26238
Quite a lot of rotation, 10 players from the England game retained from the England game. My biggest concern is at 10. Pollard had a bad run of games in the URC knock-outs and having Horn as the 10/15 back-up doesn't provide a lot of experience as coverage - although the likely plan will be Horn to 15, Willemse to 10 and Pollard off.

Also feels a bit weird going with Pollard when you seem to be shifting to a more expansive game (while still battering anything with a pulse via the pack)

 

[Groundhog]

I see SA are resting their big boys for the proper test they face next week against Wales. Smart. I don’t fancy their chances either way but at least it should be a competitive game.

You would think they would target this more winnable game though. No chance South Africa will be able to handle that Welsh altitude, especially without the power of Sweet Caroline playing 6 times a game and constant Mexican waves they're used to.

 

[Demfad]

SA are favourites but no doubt this is an opportunity for Scotland. The Bulls heavy team might be pre-planned based on the Loftus Versfeld venue.
England's attack breakdown ave was out at 6 seconds apparently. Scotland should be all over Brousset in advance to demand that the breakdown is policed fairly. SA fill up the backline quickly in defense. They hope to snuff out momentum after a phase or two and forced a box kick which is into their comfort zone. They do leave loads of space out back. They do not want skillful half backs and backlines moving their big forwards and forcing them to continuously fold. Scotland need line speed to make that happen. SA will look at how Ireland contained them in Dublin but Scotland will learn from this too.
The SA team looks like its mainly based on the Bulls and less on what is needed to subdue Scotland. I think Scotland will believe and this one has been underlined for me since the schedule came out.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

SA are favourites but no doubt this is an opportunity for Scotland. The Bulls heavy team might be pre-planned based on the Loftus Versfeld venue.
England's attack breakdown ave was out at 6 seconds apparently. Scotland should be all over Brousset in advance to demand that the breakdown is policed fairly. SA fill up the backline quickly in defense. They hope to snuff out momentum after a phase or two and forced a box kick which is into their comfort zone. They do leave loads of space out back. They do not want skillful half backs and backlines moving their big forwards and forcing them to continuously fold. Scotland need line speed to make that happen. SA will look at how Ireland contained them in Dublin but Scotland will learn from this too.
The SA team looks like its mainly based on the Bulls and less on what is needed to subdue Scotland. I think Scotland will believe and this one has been underlined for me since the schedule came out.

Respectfully disagree. Scotland can upset teams that need to play high tempo to win games (and England). SA are the anthises of that. This won't be a contest, SA will slow the game down to a snails pace and grind Scotland out of the game if they need to.

 

[Demfad]

Respectfully disagree. Scotland can upset teams that need to play high tempo to win games (and England). SA are the anthises of that. This won't be a contest, SA will slow the game down to a snails pace and grind Scotland out of the game if they need to.

50 points against France, 47 against Argentina? Ireland had to play very, very well to beat them.
I just feel with the Bulls centric selection (which appears to me to be a decision made will in advance of this week) this SA team is a drop off from the team that beat England. SA are favourites, but there is a chance here for Scotland in my view. Note, The Boks bench is not as stacked as usual.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

50 points against France, 47 against Argentina? Ireland had to play very, very well to beat them.
I just feel with the Bulls centric selection (which appears to me to be a decision made will in advance of this week) this SA team is a drop off from the team that beat England. SA are favourites, but there is a chance here for Scotland in my view. Note, The Boks bench is not as stacked as usual.

Ah I don't see it, France and Argentina are as temperamental as ypu get in pro sports and Scotland play a way that can make teams lose the head. Ireland beat them by 20 points and aren't as good as any iteration of SA right now.

Scotland will do very well to be within 2 scores at full-time imo.

The travel is mad on them too.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I think you both make good points. When discussing with my brother today he was sounding like @Demfad whereas I lean more @Leonormous Boozer

I’ll therefore go for somewhere in the middle. Scotland to be neck and neck at HT with that maybe extending up to 65min but SA to win by 14 come FT.

38-24

 

[Demfad]

Ah I don't see it, France and Argentina are as temperamental as ypu get in pro sports and Scotland play a way that can make teams lose the head. Ireland beat them by 20 points and aren't as good as any iteration of SA right now.

Scotland will do very well to be within 2 scores at full-time imo.

The travel is mad on them too.

Ireland's final total was a little flattering I think.
French tempermentality is not an issue any more IMO. Look at the dominance in 6N and CC. Last RWC exit was a big battle. 2019 exit was a Welsh ball squeeze in a maul.
I think Ireland beats that SA team. They are not that much better than the Bulls.
Don't get me wrong, I think SA are heavy favourites but there is a scenario where Scotland can win that match. Maybe its wishful thinking on my part!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ireland's final total was a little flattering I think.
French tempermentality is not an issue any more IMO. Look at the dominance in 6N and CC. Last RWC exit was a big battle. 2019 exit was a Welsh ball squeeze in a maul.
I think Ireland beats that SA team. They are not that much better than the Bulls.
Don't get me wrong, I think SA are heavy favourites but there is a scenario where Scotland can win that match. Maybe its wishful thinking on my part!

I would love to see it happen.

But a bit like Ireland and probably moreso, those Boks are different players when they slip on the green jersey in place of their club one.

 

[ChicagoKid]

Ireland's final total was a little flattering I think.
French tempermentality is not an issue any more IMO. Look at the dominance in 6N and CC. Last RWC exit was a big battle. 2019 exit was a Welsh ball squeeze in a maul.
I think Ireland beats that SA team. They are not that much better than the Bulls.
Don't get me wrong, I think SA are heavy favourites but there is a scenario where Scotland can win that match. Maybe its wishful thinking on my part!

Not much better than the Bulls! lol!

The best players play in Japan. You never watch them.

 

[Demfad]

Not much better than the Bulls! lol!

The best players play in Japan. You never watch them.

The line-up on Saturday is Bulls centric. We are discussing the SA team to play Scotland which has 10 changes to the SA team that faced England.

 

[ChicagoKid]

The line-up on Saturday is Bulls centric. We are discussing the SA team to play Scotland which has 10 changes to the SA team that faced England.

9/23 are Bulls.

The Bulls also beat Glasgow @ Glasgow.

 

[Demfad]

9/23 are Bulls.

The Bulls also beat Glasgow @ Glasgow.

6/7 out of 15 starters will be Bulls including both half backs. That doesn't include starting Bok winger Arendse who won't feauture. Two Bulls on the bench against Leinster start on Saturday. This is not as strong a team as played England. Scotland have a chance.

 

[rN_X]

The drop in RSA team is not as much as it might look. Key drop in class would be

Kolbe - Edwill
Wiese - Roos
Marx - Grobelaar ( This is massive )

The rest is very close to the same level. Ox did not play too much so ignoring his loss since the drop is Steenekamp vs Venter.

Gameplan here seem pretty obvious. A lot of high balls is coming.

Also as stated by other members a lot of players step up when they are under Rassie. These Bulls players might be at a total different level than we saw in the URC.

 

[AlRums]

Scotland team to face South Africa in the 2026 Nations Championship at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday 11 July 2026, kick-off 4.40pm BST – live on ITV and STV (caps in brackets):

15. Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (18)
14. Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (34) – Vice Captain
13. Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (12)
12. Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (39) – Captain
11. Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (20)
10. Finn Russell – Bath (94)
9. Ben White – Toulon (37)

1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (50)
2. Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (36)
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (82)
4. Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (17)
5. Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (50)
6. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (65)
7. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (40) – Vice Captain
8. Jack Dempsey – Toshiba Brave Lupus (34)

Replacements

16. Gregor Hiddleston – Glasgow Warriors (1)
17. Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (49)
18. Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (10)
19. Alex Samuel – Glasgow Warriors (4)
20. Josh Bayliss – Bath (16)
21. Magnus Bradbury – Edinburgh Rugby (22)
22. Tom Jordan – Bristol Bears (18)
23. Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (16)

Three changes, Jordan moves to the bench for Russell, Gray dropped for Brown. Miller-Mills out for injury replaced by Zander.

Interesting bench, 6-2 with no scrum half swap, although Dobie is more than capable of moving across.

 

[Saintjay]

Starting XV seems decent. The bench less so much.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

I fancy Scotland to beat the Springboks tomorrow but the odds are not as good as I hoped. The bookies are very stingy. Clearly they have also noticed south africa have picked a weak team

 

[Welsh Exile]

I fancy Scotland to beat the Springboks tomorrow but the odds are not as good as I hoped. The bookies are very stingy. Clearly they have also noticed south africa have picked a weak team

I see 6/1 for Scotland. Decent I’d say. You’re not going to get any better than that. I’m surprised they’re not more like 4/1 to be honest.

 

[AlRums]

Laidlaw looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

 

[AlRums]

Size of that third Zulu!!

Must be the reserve scrum half

 

[Welsh Exile]

Good start from Scotland here.

 

[AlRums]

Knock on by boks and they get the put in?

 

[Welsh Exile]

Russell did very well to regather that.

 

[AlRums]

What a take by Russell.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sale legend

 

[Welsh Exile]

Nippy little fucker isn’t he.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Sale legend

Christ is your legend now.