Finn Russell inspected his damaged ribs, poking at the Scottish sore spots. There were plenty to pick on a night where Gregor Townsend’s team suffered a major Rugby World Cup blow, bodies and egos bruised as South Africa reminded their upstart opponents why they are the heavyweight champions of the world.
It had been billed as a classic clash of styles, Scotland hoping to duck and weave and land a few rapid strikes; the Springboks searching for haymakers. In fact, Scotland’s inaccuracy left them trying to match their opponents blow-for-blow but it was a fight they were never likely to win.
