The last thing a battered and bruised Test team needs as they attempt a recovery is the sight of 15 South Africans charging at them.
But that will be the lot of Scotland Saturday at Mbombela Stadium in north-eastern city Nelspruit, where they tackle the Springboks in the second round of a four-nation tournament.
While South Africa celebrated an ultimately comfortable 44-10 win over Italy in Durban last weekend, the Scottish dressing room resembled a massive casualty ward after a 27-17 beating from Samoa.
Flank and captain Kelly Brown, tight-head prop Geoff Cross and hooker Pat MacArthur were the worst affected and had to return home while fly-half Tom Heathcote suffered concussion and was not considered for this weekend.
There were no sympathetic words from Australia-born coach Scott Johnson either as he announced a seven-change line-up skippered by scrum-half Greig Laidlaw for the latest episode in a 107-year rivalry.
“We know it will be even tougher this weekend,” he admitted. “A lot of guys got battered and bruised last weekend after a very physical Test and we are under no illusions about the Springboks.”
Johnson was asked if his depleted and groggy Scottish side can lift themselves off the floor just one week after the huge Samoans bulldozed them into submission at Kings Park in Durban.
“I can assure you that will not be an issue — if they cannot lift themselves for a game against a team that has won the World Cup twice they should not be here.
“We are up against a quality side and we are trying a few things on this tour. The squad know where they are and we need to find out a few things about our players.
“Scotland have faced South Africa a fair bit in the past decade and right now they are the second best rugby team in the world, playing on their own paddock, and with a win against Italy already under their belts.”
South Africa also have injury problems, although most occurred before this tournament, with versatile back Francois Steyn, right-wing JP Pietersen, fly-half Johan Goosen and ace ball-carrying No. 8 Duane Vermeulen sidelined.
But Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer was thrilled to name world-class hooker Bismarck du Plessis among his eight replacements for the Scotland Test after a 10-month injury layoff.
He was far less pleased at one South African blogger labelling Scotland “donkeys with nothing to offer” as they try to win a Test in the republic for the first time after five losses.
“We have a lot of respect for Scotland,” insisted Meyer as he moves into the second year of a contract that keeps him in charge until the completion of the 2015 World Cup in England and Wales.
“This is a young South African team and obviously we are still learning and want to do well, but Scotland are a very difficult team to play against and have beaten us recently.
“They play with a lot of passion and irrespective of what happened against Samoa they will always lift themselves against the Boks, so we know this is going to be a very physical encounter.”
Meyer must hope for another turbo-charged show from his three-quarters with wings Bryan Habana and Bjorn Basson and centres JJ Engelbrecht and captain Jean de Villiers all scoring tries against the Italians.
“Amazing” was the tag the coach placed on Habana, 29, who set up Engelbrecht for his first Test try and later provided the highlight of the match with a dazzling run from deep and a touch down between the posts.
No rest for bruised Scots as Springboks loom
