KEY POINTS:
Springbok coach Jake White aimed another barb at All Black coach Graham Henry as the South Africans wound up their World Cup preparations with a typically tight defensive display at Murrayfield yesterday.
The determined Scots could find no way through a resolute South African defence, which applied a smothering blanket of a rearguard throughout the warm-up match in front of 30,000.
South Africa won 27-3 and afterwards, White again taunted his New Zealand counterpart about the style of rugby likely to prevail in this World Cup.
"We pride ourselves on how we tackle and defend," he said. "The romantics say this World Cup will be won by a side playing open rugby, but that's just idle talk.
"Nothing is going to change. The World Cup will again boil down to the defensive patterns of teams and their ability to snaffle breakaway tries.
"Just about all the World Cups to date have been won by the team with the tightest defence, with an all-round kicking game in good order and a good structure. It's going to be the same this time whatever some people may tell you. History says that defence wins World Cups.
"The more we play together, the better. By the time we reach the quarter and (hopefully) semifinals of the World Cup, everything will be in place."
Henry has said he would rather not win the tournament if he has to do so by playing a rigidly structured game based mainly on defence.
And White's chief assistant, so-called technical adviser Australian Eddie Jones, has adopted the White party line: "Most World Cups tend to be won by the best defensive team."
Jones tips the Springboks to reach the final. "This is basically the squad that won the 2004 Tri-Nations and if you're good enough to win a Tri-Nations you're certainly good enough to win the World Cup."
South Africa scored three tries in just six first-half minutes in Edinburgh to take a decisive grip on the match. Bryan Habana, Jaque Fourie and Fourie du Preez touched down in the 22nd, 25th and 28th minutes and Percy Montgomery's kicking did the rest. But the Springboks could barely improve on their 24-3 half-time advantage, landing only another penalty from Montgomery as their sole second-half score.
"We were tired after a difficult week travelling," said White. "But I am very happy with where we are at. To come here and win without conceding a try was exactly what we wanted. That was a huge bonus."
White was also pleased at his team's successful defensive game plan, even though skipper John Smit was again missing, his 10th week out with hamstring trouble.
"He could have played today," White claimed, not entirely convincingly.
Scottish coach Frank Hadden admitted his men had learned lessons. "We are not used to playing at the intensity the South Africans bring. South Africa win their first-phase ball and they also have a very good defensive lineout. Victor Matfield is very good at putting pressure on."
Clearly, cracking this Springbok defence is going to take considerable ingenuity and thought at the World Cup.
- Independent News & Media
