\n<\/p>\n
There are two sides to every story, though. <\/p>\n
And Scotland’s part is for all of their good work, particularly at the ruck where they disrupted ball time and again, they left points out on the Murrayfield pitch.<\/p>\n
Composure at the crucial moment let them down, which also feels like a familiar story when up against the very top nations.<\/p>\n
After Pollard had made it a seven-point game, Scotland had a spell in South Africa’s 22. <\/p>\n
The world champions were rocking, but a decision to go for the short side gave life to their defence and the Scots were shunted back and eventually turned over.<\/p>\n
At that point South Africa were down to 14 men, Makazole Mapimpi was in the sin-bin. It was the last chance they got to sniff a try and it passed them by. <\/p>\n
It was far from the only one, however.<\/p>\n
“The opportunities Scotland created in the second half, they had five or six chances in the 22 which they probably should have scored from,” Wright said.<\/p>\n
“But a combination of a lack of accuracy and good scramble defence kept them out.”<\/p>\n
Townsend himself acknowledged that his side’s wastefulness – coupled with good defence from South Africa – cost them a marquee win.<\/p>\n
“South Africa then showed their power in the last 10 minutes,” the Scotland head coach told BBC Sport Scotland.<\/p>\n
“That effort in the second half was outstanding. To open up their defence at times and match their physicality. <\/p>\n
“We will be frustrated because there were a couple of opportunities out there.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n