Given that South Africa will arrive at Murrayfield on Sunday as the back-to-back world champions, few would question the scale of the challenge facing Gregor Townsend and his Scotland players.
Scotland will try to conquer a rugby monster, a Bok behemoth that has already flexed its muscles before the match has even started.
That’s how it looked when Townsend and South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus named their respective teams on Friday for what promises to be a blockbuster clash.
Much has been made over these past few years about the six-two split so often favoured by South Africa. The deployment of the ‘Bomb Squad’ and their raw power has led to two World Cups.
But Scotland won’t just be facing the Bomb Squad on Sunday afternoon. This is the Bomb Squad XL, with South Africa loading their bench with seven forwards.
Siya Kolisi, with Lukhanyo Am, will start on the bench as part of the ‘Bomb Squad’ on Sunday
Elrigh Louw (left) and Rassie Erasmus speak to the media ahead of the Murrayfield clash
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is well aware of the size of the task facing his team
All in all, they have 395 caps worth of experience waiting in reserve. By contrast, Scotland’s bench, where Townsend has gone with a six-two split, has a total of 119 caps.
The Springbok bench features an embarrassment of riches. They have a two-time World Cup-winning captain in Siya Kolisi, as well as a former World Player of the Year in Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Meanwhile, six of the eight players on Scotland’s bench are still in single digits in terms of caps. It is a frightening prospect.
As much as Townsend can welcome star names like Finn Russell, Ben White and Blair Kinghorn back into the team this week, the lack of experience on the bench must be a concern.
South Africa have done this before, loading the bench with seven forwards. They did it against the All Blacks in the World Cup Final last year.
They clearly feel like they can outmuscle and overpower Scotland in the second half. The concern is that Scotland simply won’t have the necessary tools to defuse them.
For the Scotland replacements Dylan Richardson, Elliot Millar Mills, Max Williamson and Josh Bayliss, all of whom lack experience at Test level, it will be a case of sink or swim.
For his part, Townsend believes his players will have what it takes to stand up to the physicality of what the Boks will throw at them.
Asked whether there were any concerns about the gulf in quality and experience on both benches, the Scotland head coach said: ‘No, I don’t think it really should be of concern.
‘Whether South Africa have eight players that last 60 minutes and they bring on everyone with the seven-one split, or whether other players stay on, we know they are going to be quality.
‘We’re playing the world champions, so the pack that’s up against us is going to be a very high quality. Whoever’s coming on, they will up the energy levels and up the physicality.
‘We’re playing against a very experienced team and one that has won the World Cup. That’s a challenge in front of us but I believe this team is ready to take on that challenge more than ever.
Scotland try – and fail – to get to grips with South Africa back at the 2023 Rugby World Cup
‘There’s a risk, too [with the seven-one bench split]. I remember the first time we went 6-2 at Glasgow and we had three backs injuries in the first 20 minutes.
‘I think we definitely need to see it as a motivating factor when that bench comes on, whether coming all together or in groups.
‘We’ve got to lift our game up because these guys might be fresher, but there is a risk going with seven-one.
‘When South Africa have picked that seven-one split in the past, they’ve tended to bring all the forwards on at once.
‘So there is a challenge in itself, but for us, we feel that the players off the bench do give us that ability to continue the physicality that’s required but also add some pace.’
Townsend has sprung a surprise with his team selection, picking Tom Jordan at full-back and moving Kinghorn out to the wing in the absence of Darcy Graham.
Normally a fly-half with Glasgow Warriors, this will be Jordan’s first-ever professional start at full-back – and he can expect an aerial bombardment from the South Africans.
‘This is a big step up [for Jordan] but we feel it’s right for this weekend with the injuries we have,’ said Townsend, who confirmed that Kyle Rowe misses out due to a hamstring issue.
‘His position in the backfield has always been good when he’s played at 10 for Glasgow. We know he’s going to work really hard. It’s not just about the high ball, there’s more to playing full-back now.
‘With Blair having played a lot of rugby on the wing, not just over his career, but this season [for Toulouse], we feel that’s the best combination this weekend.
‘But it also helps us with the six-two split, knowing that TJ can cover a variety of positions like Blair and Jamie Dobie off the bench.
‘With a hamstring injury with Kyle Rowe, and what will be demanded of any player this weekend, we felt this game was too early for him.
‘But he is progressing. Both him and Darcy were training yesterday, so we expect them to be available next week.’
Scotland have lost eight matches in succession against South Africa, the most recent of which came in the World Cup in Marseille last year.
Fair to say, it didn’t go well. The Boks’ blitz was ferocious, nullifying Russell and keeping the Scotland playmaker wrapped up in the rugby equivalent of a strait-jacket for 80 minutes.
In the end, the Scots scored just three points. They barely fired a shot as South Africa won 18-3, with Russell looking hesitant and unsure of how to deal with the constant line speed.
Later in the tournament, Russell spoke about he had been guilty of ‘overthinking it’ against the Boks’ defensive machine.
Scotland will need him to be at the peak of his powers against a South African side who followed their World Cup triumph by also winning this year’s Rugby Championship.
‘In the World Cup, we did well physically against them,’ said Townsend. ‘We stayed in the fight but probably didn’t play as well as we could in attack.
‘I think something that we really respect about the South African team is their consistency. They have delivered time and time again.
‘They have real good depth in their squad so they sometimes make changes, sometimes put your perceived first team players on the bench.
‘But they’re able to play a high level on a consistent basis and they’ve done that since the World Cup.’
Earlier this week, South Africa centre Andre Esterhuizen took a dig at some of the South African-born players in the Scotland squad.
Esterhuizen said: ‘I would much rather have my 18 caps for the Springboks than 70 caps for a different country that I’m not actually born in.’
Townsend was asked about those comments yesterday and whether these matches carry an extra emotional significance for the likes of Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman and Richardson.
‘There’s nothing we’ve commented on or talked about with our group,’ said Townsend when asked about the barb from Esterhuizen.
‘I’ve been with Duhan the four times he’s played against South Africa and he was outstanding in that Lions series [in 2021].
‘Obviously we played in the World Cup and Pierre’s just played in that World Cup game. They’re very proud to play for Scotland and playing at home with the crowd that we have there this week.
‘I’m sure they realise that it’s not just a responsibility but the privilege you have to be playing this weekend.’
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