Scotland back-rower David Denton believes the Springboks' physical approach will suit his side in Saturday's Test at Murrayfield.
Despite suffering a 51-22 home loss to the All Blacks last weekend, Denton feels Scotland will cope better with South Africa's direct style than New Zealand's more enterprising play.
"Facing the All Blacks could have been more physical and it was more the tempo they played at which was the tough thing," he told the Edinburgh Evening News.
"These Boks are a side we can definitely play well against. Their tempo is a lot slower and they are a lot more physical but we can definitely handle that.
"Whenever New Zealand wanted to attack they had quick ball and we made it easy for them by missing first-up tackles. You can't win matches if you don't make your tackles and that is where we came unstuck.
"We have to get our defence sorted because we can't let a team score as many tries as New Zealand scored against us (six). You'll never win games like that.
"We need to work on our systems in defence. We were sitting off a bit too much. If we do come up with a bit more pressure in offence we are going to be in a very good place.
"We were rusty in defence and there were a few times in attack when we looked like a team that hadn't been together for a while.
"On other occasions, though, particularly towards the end of the first half, we looked like a very, very dangerous team.
"Defence is a big negative for us but we scored three tries and three tries should be enough to win you a game.
"The great positive I take is that we had a powerful maul I haven't seen in Scottish rugby for a long time.
"We knew we had to take them physically and we did that well."
Scotland have beaten South Africa twice in recent years - a factor which will boost Andy Robinson's troops' confidence ahead of this weekend's clash.
"A lot of our optimism does stem from having beaten South Africa as recently as 2010, but there is more to it than that," said Denton.
"They are a team our style of rugby suits playing against."
Comments
leebok says...
anything to say now?
Posted 18:31 18th November 2012
nzmaoriboy says...
Dude forgets the simple fact on the weekend! that SA were not happy with there performance against Ireland...But they still won. We have seen many examples of teams playing poorly and justifiably loosing...but being poor and winning is no Fluke. It will be a very close & physical match! but picking the bokkes by 6....
Scotland were okay last week! lets not forget we AB's made a 11 changes,are at the end of our season,played in a sold out Murrayfield against a team Fancy'n ther first victory ever...You done well! but you still lost (by a lot)
Posted 08:04 16th November 2012
JayStarr says...
@ melkdave: Have you lost your mind...? Or did Trinats hack your account?
@ grokling & zambokke: No, the Springboks were at full strength with Matfield and co. the last time they played (and lost). It was simply a case of complacency - they had two good wins under their belt and were on their way to a Grand Slam if they could beat England in their last game, but then Scotland showed up on the day and spoiled their party. And it was raining too, so it was tough to come back once they realised they were in trouble. However, these young and 2nd-chance Boks won't be guilty of complacency - their performance against Ireland and the loss of that Bok team against Scotland will keep them honest.
@ Isograford: I would've disagreed with you before, but after these comments I actually agree with you that the Boks will pummel them. The All Blacks might be the best in the world if you give them space, but the Springboks are the best in the world if you lay down a challenge... I expect them to come out firing.
Posted 13:15 14th November 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
Can't believe they've had a go at the Boks.
Still, I don't particularly want England to be facing a SA side thats lost to Scotland and are looking for someone to take their frustrations out on. So thanks Scotland for poking them with a stick and making sure they take you seriously and don't slip up.
Posted 12:16 14th November 2012
porridge_time says...
Compared to the All Blacks at the weekend the Boks do look slow. He is right in saying that Scotland can and will probably cooe better against the South African style than they did against the high tempo and attack minded New Zealanders.
Posted 09:32 14th November 2012
porridge_time says...
Compared to the All Blacks at the weekend the Boks do look slow. He is right in saying that Scotland can and will probably cooe better against the South African style than they did against the high tempo and attack minded New Zealanders.
Posted 09:32 14th November 2012
mfblions says...
wow "slow" Boks... we shall see on Saturday or tho i think the Boks will win comfortably, as long HM selects a good team.
Posted 22:38 13th November 2012
leebok says...
Thats rich coming from a Zimbabwean!
Posted 19:00 13th November 2012
Isograford says...
Ummm. He does realize that the All Black team they were supposedly 'very very dangerous' against was essentially, bar a few players, the midweek team that had never played together before. That and they basically handed Scotland two tries.
South Africa will pummel them if they run out their top team.
Posted 18:54 13th November 2012
JayStarr says...
Wow, he makes it sound like it's going to be easy to beat the "Slow"boks this weekend... I didn't really look forward to this game before, but now I do! HM don't have to worry about motivation now! Thanks Denton ;) And good luck.
Posted 16:57 13th November 2012
zambokke says...
We rested key players against Scotland in preparation for England last time. Also, our front row were dominant but were penalised because Jannie had to over-balance to engage with their very short prop - this arguably cost us the game, as well as the fact that our backs were ineffective - hopefully lessons learnt.An interesting point - Denton is a Zimbabwean just like Pocock, Teichmann, Skinstadt - weird how they seem to breed so many good back row forwards, it must be their superior beef. Weren't the Evans bros also born in Zim? What is the Zim equivalent of a kilted Kiwi?
Posted 16:14 13th November 2012
melkdave says...
Have to admit ,feeling very optomistic about Scotlands chances of victory ,thiscoming weekend.The bokke played very poorly ,against a dreadfullIreland side,and didnt look anything like a powerfull team ,no pace,no intensity ,and at times the bokke looked lost ,with no idea what to do next..If the bokke play like they did last wekend Scotland will hamer em.As it is i feel thats unlikely ,but i can see Scotland being victorious by 5-8 points .Heres hoping anyway
Posted 15:01 13th November 2012
grokling says...
Both of the recent losses came partly as a result of the Boks making wholesale changes in preparation for England a week later. Whether this was the Boks underestimating the Scots is open to debate, but both losses were shocks.
There is no chance of any complacency this week form the Boks. They will be taking this match very seriously indeed, and I feel the Scots might be getting ahead of themselves a little after their performance against NZ.
Posted 14:16 13th November 2012