Playing Scotland was always going to be an inconvenience on the Springboks’ march toward their first Grand Slam victory in almost 50 years.

If that sounds like an attempt to present the Boks as presumptuous, it is not.

It’s just that Scotland — whose “organised chaos” approach has always made them awkward opponents for the Boks — were supposed to be the weakest of the home union sides on this trip.

This presented the tourists with the dilemma of having to be at their most cautious on the day they were expected to coast to victory and set up a thrilling, high-stakes finale with an all-too familiar foe — England.

But the fiery Scots proved more than an inconvenience for the visitors and their Grand Slam aspirations.

It was to be expected that Scotland would put in an in-your-face performance in a bid to bounce back from their 49-3 drubbing at the hands of the All Blacks last week.

But it was the Boks who surprised with an ill-advised approach in conditions which suited their strengths.

The heavens opened immediately before the match started, as they did in Dublin and right from the whistle the Boks demonstrated a singular cluelessness about staying in the Grand Slam hunt.

Somehow they chose the most miserably cold and wet day on tour to try to deliver the ball-in-hand style demanded by the new law interpretations.

But the conditions were crying out for their bread and butter drives, kicks for touch, and the much-maligned kick-and- chase.

The drive from the lineouts only appeared in the second half and it led to the only try in the match. It was also the only thing the Boks did well all day.

The kick and chase was a shambles, as the kickers simply hoofed it down the throats of Scotland’s back three.

And when the Boks started consistently kicking out on the full early in the second half, the most feared lineout in world rugby started spluttering, leaking three quick steals in succession.

Even the Boks’ try came from a mistake. With a 30m rolling maul having delivered the Boks to a lineout on the Scots’ doorstep, replacement flanker Willem Alberts poached a throw meant for Victor Matfield to crash over for his second try in two starts from the bench.

Ironically, in reaction to the diesel engine stuff meted out by Wales last week, the Boks had the better start, piling on the pressure and giving kickers Morne and Francois Steyn a look at Scotland’s posts four times in just over 10 minutes.

But two misses, one by each Steyn, meant the Scots weren’t facing another All Black day.

Strangely, Scotland had the better of the scrums early on, but because of the sketchy understanding between their No8 Kelly Brown and scrumhalf Rory Lawson, the surprisingly pedestrian Francois Hougaard was able to keep the hosts on the back foot.

The lineouts seemed fine until Richie Gray started thinking he was Matfield in the second half.

Significantly, the Boks failed to take control at the breakdowns, leaving everything to referee Stuart Dickinson’s interpretation.

Dickinson — who officiated eight years ago when the Boks last lost to Scotland — penalised the visitors no fewer than seven times in the 14 minutes following the quarter-hour mark.

The coaches weren’t immune to a bit of brain fade either, as the replacement of kicking flyhalf Morne Steyn with running flyhalf Pat Lambie showed in a game won by Dan Parks’ six penalties and a dropped-goal.

Two players who managed to shine on a ropey day at the office were No8 Ryan Kankowski and debutant winger Lwazi Mvovo.

The former carried the ball well while the latter made solid tackles and had one strong run.

Ultimately the Boks, whose tour has been big on guts and little else, were punished for trying to take one low road too many to a Grand Slam win.

SCORERS:

Scotland 21 – Penalties: Dan Parks (6) Drop goal: Parks

South Africa 17 – Try: Willem Alberts Penalties: Morne Steyn (4)