Stuart Hogg: Followed a monster clearing kick with an electrifying break from the deep to warm the sell-out crowd up and led to Hamish Watson’s try. Exeter are getting a bargain entertainer 7

Tommy Seymour: A hat-trick last week but did more chasing back on South African kicks than anything else. How things can change in just a week 6

Huw Jones: Treated us to flashes of his illusive running, but nothing compared to his two incredible behind-the-back passes leading to Peter Horne’s try 8

Peter Horne: Running in support of Jones brought its reward as he touched down for only his fifth international score, but found South African back line largely impenetrable 7

Sean Maitland: Like Seymour, not too much chance to run at the Springboks as the ball rarely went wide. Turned full-back when Hogg was replaced 6

Finn Russell: Under a lot of pressure from the off against a quickly closing defence. Tactical kicking was off the mark, as was one outrageous drop attempt 7

Greig Laidlaw: The one thing the Clermont Auvergne scrum-half does deliver on is being the nominated place kicker. Four from four yesterday as he kept Scotland in the game 7

Gordon Reid: Found it hard going and was perhaps not as effective as Allan Dell had been against Fiji in the tight or loose 6

Stuart McInally: For a man who is good at finding weaknesses in the opposition fringe defence he found the Springboks a hard nut to crack 7

WP Nel: Was never going to be a comfortable afternoon holding up the corner of a Scottish scrum 30kg lighter than the green machine. Didn’t creak too much 7

Ben Toolis: Some great takes off the top of the line-out on Scotland’s throw, without upsetting the South Africans in reply. Hard day tackling those green waves 7

Jonny Gray: Usual effectiveness as a first-up tackler in what was a brutally physical first half. What might be described as a typical day for a modern second-row 7

Sam Skinner: Having made his debut a week ago, the Exeter Chief was added to the back row to upset the Boks rolling maul. That plan mostly worked 7

Hamish Watson: Was the willing runner as the Scots made a sensational line-out play to catch the Boks sleeping and bring Scotland on to level terms in the first period 7

Ryan Wilson: Replaced before the hour after what could be described as an uncharacteristically quiet afternoon 7

Replacements:

Fraser Brown: Replaced McInally in triple substitution. Allan Dell: First replacement used after 50 minutes for Reid. Simon Berghan: Replaced Nel in triple substitution. Josh Strauss: Replaced Wilson in triple substitution. Jamie Ritchie: Came on for Skinner late on. Ali Price: Switched with Laidlaw after an hour. Adam Hastings: Given his chance to shine coming on for Horne. Chris Harris: Given a run in place of Hogg

Stewart Weir