GAVIN RICH: Game Scots fail to bridge the gap between top four and the rest
It was second against fifth in the world in Marseille, and the end margin of 15 points flattered the fifth-ranked team
There may have been some nerves along the way, and there was certainly good reason for the Springboks to feel jittery, but ultimately the Pool B clash in Marseille on Sunday confirmed what we already knew — there’s a top four in this World Cup, and then the rest.
As they started this tournament ranked fifth in the World Rugby rankings, the Scots had every right to consider themselves the best of the chasing pack that will be trying to make a dent on the anticipated dominance of France, SA, Ireland and New Zealand. After the first weekend of competition, you might argue that England, who won their Pool D decider against Argentina so comfortably, are challenging Scotland for the tag, but make no mistake, it is the “best of the rest” tag they are competing for, and not the Webb Ellis trophy itself...
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