South Africa start Rugby World Cup title defence by beating Scotland
South Africa kicked off the defence of their Rugby World Cup title with an 18-3 victory over Scotland in the teams' opening Pool B match in Marseille on Sunday.
The Springboks, featuring 14 of the match-day squad of 23 that beat England in the 2019 final, were made to work hard for the win, with just two Manie Libbok penalties to show for their first-half graft, Finn Russell pulling one back for Scotland.
A brace of tries within three minutes from Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kurt-Lee Arendse early in the second period, however, turned the game.
"I'm just stoked that the first step went the way it did," said Libbok, whose cross-kick for Arendse's try effectively dashed Scotand's hopes.
"I'm grateful for my forwards to give me the platform. I saw the space out wide so I went there. I'm pleased it came off."
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend praised his side's initial defence but rued a second-half marred by errors.
"We defended well in the first half, we then grew into the game and the set-piece," he said.
"We felt we could kick on in the second half. They won the third quarter hands down and a lot of that was down to their good play and our inaccuracy."
It was the first time South Africa have won their first match at a World Cup since they edged out Wales 17-16 in 2011, having then gone on to opening-game defeats by New Zealand in 2019 and Japan four years earlier.
(AFP)
