Standing toe to toe with the world champions demands a plan as bold as the occasion. Scotland rugby has rarely faced a sterner examination than the one waiting at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, when Gregor Townsend\u2019s in-form side meet South Africa at Loftus Versfeld for the first time, in round two of the Nations Championship.<\/p>\n
According to Rugby365, Townsend revealed this week just how far he was prepared to go, admitting he seriously considered a radical 7-1 forwards-heavy bench before settling on a 6-2 split. \u201cI\u2019m a bit disappointed in myself that we didn\u2019t go 7-1,\u201d the Scotland head coach said. \u201cThat was discussed a lot during the week.\u201d For a support that watched Scotland score seven tries in a 47-38 win over Argentina in Cordoba last weekend, the admission lands as a statement of intent: this is a Scotland side that believes it can trade punches with the double world champions on their own soil.<\/p>\n
Yet, looking deeply at the selections both coaches have made, the outcome of this Test may hinge less on who starts and more on who finishes.<\/p>\n
Why Gregor Townsend Almost Copied Rassie Erasmus\u2019 Bomb Squad<\/p>\n
The Scottish Rugby announcement confirmed three changes to the starting XV, headlined by Finn Russell\u2019s return at fly-half<\/a> after a calf injury, with Zander Fagerson and Gregor Brown promoted from the bench that finished the job in Cordoba. Fagerson steps in at tighthead after Elliot Millar Mills suffered a tour-ending injury, packing down alongside Ewan Ashman and Pierre Schoeman, a try-scorer on his 50th cap last weekend.<\/p>\n It is the replacements, though, that carry Townsend\u2019s real message. Six forwards \u2014 Gregor Hiddleston, Rory Sutherland, Will Hurd, Alex Samuel, Josh Bayliss and Magnus Bradbury \u2014 sit alongside just two backs, Tom Jordan and Stafford McDowall, with no specialist scrum-half cover and starting wing Jamie Dobie earmarked for emergency duty at nine. Sutherland is in line for his 50th Scotland cap. \u201cWe know that the forwards are going to be the ones that are really going to be tested this week against the best pack in world rugby,\u201d Townsend explained, adding: \u201cWhen else are you going to have a 7-1 when you take on the Boks? They went 7-1 against us.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bench Battle That Will Decide Scotland Rugby\u2019s Loftus Test<\/p>\n