COACH Vern Cotter believes the physical pounding Scotland took in the first half of their 39-16 Pool B win over the USA was ideal preparation ahead of the even rougher treatment they will face in the crunch game against South Africa next week.
Scotland shook off the effects of a first-half American assault at Elland Road on Sunday to come back from 13-6 down at half-time, running in five tries for a second bonus-point win in a row.
“Japan were physical as well but these guys were bigger, very hard-hitting and came off the line with speed,” Cotter said.
“It took time to adapt to them. South Africa are physical, probably even more so, Samoa the same, and we knew this was going to be the kind of rugby we would face in this pool.”
The bonus-point win puts Scotland top of Pool B with 10 points.
, despite making 10 changes to the starting XV that beat Japan, and losing flanker John Hardie to a head injury on the eve
