A PUMPED-UP South Africa proved too strong for Scotland in a match of fearsome intensity at St James’ Park, Newcastle. The Scots fought back well in the second half after being 20-3 down at the break, but the Springboks, knowing a second defeat could fatally damage their hopes of reaching the last eight of the Rugby World Cup, always kept their noses in front.

They could not earn a bonus point for scoring four tries or more, however, so are now top of Pool B with 11 points. Scotland, who have ten, will still qualify for the quarter-finals with any kind of win over Samoa, also in Newcastle, next Saturday. The Springboks will win the pool if they beat the United States at London’s Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.

Earlier, Japan beat Samoa 26-5 to move on to eight points. They play the United States a week on Sunday in the last game of all in the pool, and if they win with a bonus point they would go on to 13 points.

Scotland began solidly, coping well with a number of Garryowens launched high into midfield by their opponents. They lost the first scrum on their own put-in inside South African territory, however, and had to scramble their defence to keep out JP Pietersen in the right corner.

But the opening score of the game was only delayed. The South African forwards drove for the posts, and, after being held up twice, plunged over. The decision went to the TMO as the grounding was unclear, but the try was eventually awarded to Schalk Burger, and Handre Pollard converted. That was after 13 minutes, and three minutes later the stand-off knocked over a penalty from just outside the 22 to give his team a 10-0 advantage.

Playing with an intensity and precision that had been utterly lacking in their defeat by Japan two weeks earlier, the Springboks continued to attack relentlessly. With quarter of an hour of the first half to go, Pollard made it 13-0 with a second successful penalty, awarded after another sustained drive had come close to breaching the Scottish line.

Greig Laidlaw pulled back three points five minutes later with a penalty from near the South African ten-metre line. Before the kick was taken, Josh Strauss had to go off for a head-impact assessment and was replaced by Ryan Wilson.

Another sign that the Springboks were not having things all their own way came seven minutes from the break when tight-head prop Jannie du Plessis was yellow-carded for flying into a ruck recklessly at the Scottish ball-carriers. Strauss returned to the field during the stoppage, and Laidlaw was just short with the resultant long-range penalty.

Just as Scotland looked like being still in the game at the break, they conceded a second try to the 14 men. A lineout drive did the damage, and when the ball eventually came back Fourie du Preez put JP Pietersen through in the middle. Pollard converted to give his team a 20-3 half-time advantage.

Laidlaw got the first score of the second half with a penalty after five minutes. Then a pass by Pollard was picked off by Duncan Weir, who ran 70 metres before cutting inside and finding Tim Visser. The left-winger passed to Seymour, who finished off the move from a few yards out. Laidlaw converted the try, and at 20-13 the cause was no longer so hopeless.

Pollard hit back two minutes later with a drop goal - a rarity at this World Cup - and South Africa were ten in front again. Then Laidlaw was sinbinned for a professional foul - tackling Bryan Habana after the winger had kicked ahead in a dangerous move up the left.

With 20 minutes left, Weir was successful with a penalty from the edge of the 22, and the score was 23-16. Again, though, the response was almost immediate, as Pollard scored with a penalty from barely a metre inside the Scotland half. Another penalty from the stand-off made it 29-16 with ten minutes left, and from that point in South Africa’s win was assured.

The Springboks finished strongly, and when Habana forced his way over for their third try, which went unconverted, they had seven minutes left to get a fourth and a bonus point. But Scotland finished the game on top, denying their rivals the satisfaction of the five-point win.

SOUTH AFRICA: Tries: Burger, Pietersen, Habana. Cons: Pollard 2. Pens: Pollard 4. Drop goal: Pollard.

SCOTLAND: Try: Seymour. Con: Laidlaw. Pens: Laidlaw 2, Weir.

South Africa: W le Roux; JP Pietersen (P Lambie 71), J Kriel, D de Allende (J Serfontein 75), B Habana; H Pollard, F du Preez (R Pienaar 78); T Mtawarira (T Nyakane 61), B du Plessis (A Strauss 56), J du Plessis (F Malherbe 50), E Etzebeth, L de Jager (P-S du Toit 74), F Louw, S Burger ( W Alberts 70), D Vermeulen.

Scotland: S Hogg (S Lamont 63); T Seymour, R Vernon (P Horne 65), M Scott, T Visser, D Weir, G Laidlaw (S Hidalgo-Clyne 70); G Reid (A Dickinson 51), F Brown (R Ford 61), WP Nel (J Welsh 64), R Gray, J Gray (T Swinson 68), J Strauss (R Wilson 55), B Cowan, D Denton

Referee: N Owens (Wales). Attendance: 50,900.