South Africa's Jan Serfontein celebrates at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on June 22, 2012. By Ron Gaunt (AFP/File)
NELSPRUIT, South Africa (AFP) - South Africa booked a four-nation tournament final showdown with Samoa after defeating brave Scotland 30-17 on Saturday in a fiery Test in Nelspruit.Labelled 'donkeys' by a South African journalist, the injury-weakened Scots led for much of the game at Mbombela Stadium and were in contention until the final minute when centre Jan Serfontein touched down.The Scots face Italy in Pretoria next Saturday for third place before the Springboks tackle the physically formidable Samoans in the climax of the three-week event.Scotland entered the game needing a 23-point bonus-point victory and no points for South Africa if they were to snatch an unlikely place in the final against Samoa.It was a huge task for a nation that lost five previous Tests in the republic, with the closest they came to downing the Springboks being a four-point loss 10 years ago.But if the Scots faced a near-impossible mission they showed no signs of inferiority in the opening 40 minutes in this north-eastern city and turned with a 10-6 advantage.The visitors survived a very early scare, as South Africa lock Juandre Kruger almost snatched a 10-second try from the kick-off, to hold their own with an inspiring in-your-face attitude.A penalty from scrum-half and captain Greig Laidlaw put Scotland ahead on eight minutes only for two from South Africa fly-half Morne Steyn to edge the home team ahead.The lead lasted only three minutes, however, before a break from new cap left-wing Tommy Seymour took Scotland close to the line and quick recycled ball went across the field for centre Mark Scott to dot down.Laidlaw converted and the Scots had a four-point advantage they retained until the break amid several warnings from the French referee Romain Poite for going offside around the fringes.Just three minutes into the second half Scotland scored a second try with Scott the architect this time as he sent fellow centre Alex Dunbar over and Laidlaw curled the ball superbly for a successful conversion.Scottish euphoria at a 11-point lead lasted just two minutes before they tried to collapse a driving maul and South Africa were awarded a penalty try which Steyn converted.There was another blow for the Six Nations outfit soon after as Jim Hamilton pushed his hands into the face of rival lock Eben Etzebeth and was sent to the sin bin.The Springboks used the numerical advantage well to score a try with centre JJ Engelbrecht going over after a perfectly timed pass from full-back Willie le Roux and Steyn converted to give the the home team a 20-17 lead.Substitute hooker Bismarck du Plessis was warmly welcomed back to the Test arena after a long injury absence and another player who came off the bench, utility back Patrick Lambie, kicked a penalty to give his side some breathing space.But the Springboks did not put the match beyond the reach of Scotland until the final minute when replacement Serfontein shrugged off three tackles to dive over and Lambie converted.
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