The Springboks needed a late Jesse Kriel try — running onto a grubber from Quan Horn — to secure a 42-28 win over Scotland in their Nations Championship match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, completing a perfect two-from-two start to their campaign.
Erasmus again fielded a heavily youthful side, and for long stretches Scotland threatened to expose that inexperience. Twice the visitors refused to be put away: first recovering from 14-0 down to level matters by half-time, and then clawing back from 35-14 to within seven points late in the contest before the Boks held on.
The early exchanges went South Africa's way, with Embrose Papier scoring a trademark individual try and Evan Roos adding a powerful effort. Scotland hit back through Matt Fagerson and Kyle Rowe to make it 14-14 at the break — a scoreline that reflected the visitors' refusal to wilt.
The pivotal moment arrived in the 50th minute. With the scores level and the Boks reduced to 14 men following Ben-Jason Dixon's sin-binning for a head clash, Scotland drove for a scrum eight metres from the Springbok line. The hosts held firm, won the penalty and survived the red zone. That defensive stand proved the turning point.
From there the Boks moved upfield, secured a lineout drive and Elrigh Louw crashed over from close range. Damian Willemse then produced a sharp individual effort, picking up quickly and jinxing through two defenders near the 22, before Zac Porthen added a third successive try to push the lead out to 35-14 with 15 minutes remaining.
Scotland, however, were not done. Magnus Bradbury and Ben White — the latter in controversial circumstances amid a suspected knock-on in the build-up — scored in quick succession to cut the margin to seven. The Kriel try, converted, ultimately settled Bok nerves and stretched the final scoreline to 42-28.
The match featured 13 Glasgow Warriors players in Scotland's starting lineup, with the visitors having beaten the Bulls at this same ground in a URC final in recent seasons. There was no repeat this time, but the Scots underlined why they remain a formidable outfit.
For the Springboks, the result — hard-fought as it was — provides valuable high-pressure experience for a young group that will need to draw on exactly this kind of resolve at next year's World Cup in Australia.