Scotland 10 South Africa 14:PHIL GODMAN, a dozen stitches in a wound around his left eye inflicted by the knee of Jean de Villiers and the elbow of Pierre Spies, staggered from the pitch, his face streaming with crimson. Half the Scotland team ended this agonising afternoon as walking wounded.
"We'll never have a better chance of beating the world champions," was the head coach's lament, and Frank Hadden knows such a painful defeat could have serious implications when his job comes under review after next weekend's meeting with Canada in Aberdeen.
Scotland, ninth in the world rankings, may find themselves in a World Cup group with two leading sides in New Zealand in 2011.
If Godman, the outhalf, had landed two second-half penalties, one difficult and one a sitter that will haunt him, a nation could have celebrated a momentous victory.
The difference between this performance and the insipid display against New Zealand's second-string a week earlier was as wide as the Firth of Forth.
But Scotland, whose first-choice kicker, Chris Paterson, fractured his cheekbone after 10 minutes, saw Godman leave the field at the same time.
His blood replacement, Dan Parks, also missed two penalties, one simple, one less so. Scotland went in 10 points up - it should have been more.
As Godman lined up to convert Nathan Hines' try two minutes before the break°, the blood began to run again. He landed the kick, but there were more unkind cuts.
Scotland began to concede penalties and Ruan Pienaar hauled the Springboks back into the game. Then, Jaque Fourie broke Hugo Southwell's tackle and the video referee ruled that the wing's foot had not strayed into touch. It was Fourie's 23rd try for South Africa.
SCOTLAND: Paterson; Evans, Cairns, De Luca; R Lamont, Godman; Blair (capt), Jacobsen, Ford, Murray, Hines, Hamilton, White, Barclay, Hogg . Replacements: Southwell for Paterson (10 mins): Parks for Godman (11-21 and 39-41 mins); Gray for White (58 mins); Dickinson for Jacobsen (64 mins); Lawson for Evans (73 mins); Mustchin for Hines (74 mins); Hall for Ford (75 mins).
SOUTH AFRICA: Jantjes; Pietersen, Jacobs, De Villiers, Habana ; Pienaar, Januarie ; Mtawarira, Du Plessis , Burger , Smith, Spies. Replacements: Mujati for Du Plessis (5 mins); Bekker for Botha (60 mins); Fourie for Habana, Roussouw for Burger (both 64 mins); Steyn for De Villiers (65 mins); Steenkamp for Mtawarira, Kankowski for Spies (both 74 mins).
Referee: D Pearson(England).
• Guardian Service
