South Africa happy to cede centre stage to others for now

The bottom line right now is that the Boks are all but safe. For South Africa to be evicted it would require Scotland to win by at least 21 points and for Ireland to pick up a bonus point

FINISHING IN STYLE: South Africa's Canan Moodie scores a try against Tonga. Pic: AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

Of all the possible scenarios and mathematical formulas that could decide which pair from South Africa, Scotland, and Ireland will escape the clutches of Pool B this week there was one that Jacques Nienaber – and hardly anyone else – had considered.

It was the wrong side of midnight after South Africa’s slightly tortured bonus-point win against Tonga in Marseille on Sunday and the woman directing the press conference let it be known that there would be just one more question for the top table before calling it a wrap.