Boks win but the questions remain

The result was somewhat predictable but, sadly, so too was the languid performance of the victors.

Springbok rugby survived an onslaught of considerable rather than mighty proportions from Scotland in this Test and with just one match before they arrive on the doorstep of the Tri-Nations several teasing questions remain.

The most pressing involves the position that may determine the direction the Springboks take in their buildup to the World Cup. Flyhalf Louis Koen has established himself as one of the most reliable performers on the domestic scene but his

merry band of critics have pointed to his obvious limitations. They gleefully contend that in the absence of Andre Pretorius his selection was temporary.

Koen may not have the game to storm the barn door down but he contributed 23 points in this game to add the 19 he banged over in Durban and without his accurate boot the Scots may now be singing in the aisle as they wing their way home.

His value is underlined by the fact that the Scots outscored the Springboks by four tries to three in this series. Koen certainly did not provide the fluidity in midfield his coach may have hoped for in the two-match series but the primary function he was asked to perform he did with aplomb.

Mind you, Koen's future is not the only one that will have to be discussed in the next fortnight. Several men arrived on the playing surface here on Saturday in the knowledge that they had to perform well above what they had dished up this season if they were going to remain in the national jumper.

Collectively there were some improvements. The most significant came in the back three, where fullback Jaco van der Westhuyzen and wings Stefan Terblanche and Ashwin Willemse ran with purpose.

Apart from some scary moments in the first half when they stood accused of a pusillanimous approach the Springbok defence held out reasonably well for the remainder of the game.

They were also slightly more assertive in the tight exchanges. Lock Victor Matfield was able to effectively apply his hand on opposition ball in the line-out, while the Springbok scrum gave more than it received. Not even a change in personnel challenged the Springbok cohesion in that area.

But again the energy-sapping efforts of the forwards came to naught as possession frittered away when the team went on the attack. All too often they required cool application rather than the frenzied fervour with which they surged forward.

It was clear from the outset that the hosts would not produce the rousing triumph many had hoped to see.

It was a first half that was not dissimilar to the drab affair the crowd in Durban was forced to endure last week. Again the Springboks struggled to bring cohesion and fluency to their game and again Scotland were eager to feed off the scraps that fell their way. Fullback Glenn Metcalfe and wings Chris Paterson and Kenny Logan always were quite menacing on the counter-attack.

The visitors never had to wait long for a South African to lose the ball in the tackle, or force a pass that had the intended recipient stretching.

The Springboks crafted some opportunities in the opening period but again their execution left a lot to be desired. One such opportunity fell to Stefan Terblanche after another fabulous hand-off from Trevor Halstead but a poor pass to the right wing saw the move peter out into touch.

It wasn't the only time in the first half that Halstead disproved his detractors. He certainly displayed more initiative in attack and may yet shed the "one-dimensional label".

On his outside Marius Joubert also injected some thrust into the Springboks' midfield play but the opportunities that fell his way were limited.

Overall, though, this was another languid performance and this Springbok combination may only find appropriate perspective when they measure themselves in the Tri-Nations. Let's hope we'll see a different team.

Scorers:

- South Africa. Try: Stefan Terblanche. Conversion: Louis Koen. Penalties: Louis Koen (6). Drop goal: Koen.

- Scotland: Try: Andy Craig. Conversion: Chris Paterson. Penalties: Paterson (4).