2023 Rugby World Cup: South Africa beat the feisty Tonga by 49-18 points at the Stade de Marseille in France on Sunday.
The Boks’ 31-point margin of victory – allied to a bonus point for scoring four tries – means that if Scotland and Ireland are to go through at South Africa’s expense, the former needs to beat the latter by 21 points while Ireland score four tries in defeat.
Only two BRICS nations face off in the Rugby World Cup: South Africa and Argentina.
South Africa, also dubbed the “rugby-obsessed nation”, is currently the strongest BRICS rugby team and is ranked number 2 globally.
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Springboks need Ireland to win the next game
In that scenario, all three teams would have 15 log points; Scotland would progress with the best points difference, while Ireland would oust the Boks by winning the head-to-head match.
The point that South Africans and Springbok supporters need to remember is that. For that to happen, Scotland must beat Ireland by a margin of 21 points or more, with both teams scoring four tries to earn an attacking bonus point.
Others view this as a slim mathematical chance for the world champions to miss out on the Rugby World Cup knockouts.
What will put the hearts of South Africans at ease is the fact that previously, Scotland has lost their last seven matches against their Celtic rivals.
Rugby experts and gurus do not expect Scotland to achieve such a result by beating the number one team in the world in such a crucial stage in the World Cup.
South Africa have done all they can. After a hard-earned victory against “brutal” Tonga, the reigning world champions have one foot in the quarter-finals and a probable meeting with France.
For the Springboks, all eyes turn to Ireland’s clash with Scotland in Paris on Saturday, where only an extraordinary turn of events would see them depart the World Cup on points difference.
Just like when one is waiting for the exam results, the Boks are waiting impatiently for Scotland and Ireland to kick -off …And the wait must be heart-wrenching for the reigning champions and South Africans in general.
Can South Africa do it again and bring the World Cup back home? On the 20th of October 2007, France was hosting the Rugby World Cup, and the Springboks lifted the Webb Ellis Cup by beating England 15 points to 6 to win their second World Cup title.
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