Scotland 10-21 South Africa, Murrayfield, November 17
Robinson pleased with final 30 minutes
ESPN Staff
November 17, 2012
Scotland's Henry Pyrgos runs over, Scotland v South Africa, Murrayfield, Scotland, November 17, 2012
Andy Robinson praised Henry Pyrgos' impact © PA Photos
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Scotland head coach Andy Robinson described the first 50 minutes of his side's performance as "very frustrating" but was pleased with the manner his team finished the match against South Africa.

Scotland fell 21-10 to the Boks and by the by the time Adrian Strauss crossed for his second try in the 46th minute, Robinson's side had only mounted one noticeable attack. But Robinson's men put the Springboks under sustained pressure for the remaining half hour, after replacement scrum-half Henry Pyrgos had crossed over following a well-worked lineout in the 51st minute to reduce the deficit.

And Robinson was pleased with that improvement and put his team's better showing down to an improvement in discipline and tackling.

"The last 30 minutes was very pleasing but what happened in the first 50 minutes was hugely frustrating," Robinson said. "We faced a different threat today. Last week we faced speed and this week we were facing physicality - they are probably the toughest team to play against. It showed the gulf and where we are.

"We can't afford to give penalties away in the way we did. We need to improve our discipline because we gave them field positions and the ability to build their maul in the first half. In the second half we didn't give penalties away so our defence was on the front foot. In the first half we allowed SA to get momentum by tackling high.

"After half-time we tackled low, which stopped their momentum and we played inside their half."

Scotland's try-scorer Pyrgos had only been on the field for three minutes before he crossed and Robinson hailed the scrum-half's impact.

"Henry brought some real energy to the game and it was set-piece pay that worked really well," Robinson said. "It was great to see him go under the posts. There was real energy there to the way we played in the second half.

"But you have to take your chances and when we were battering away at South Africa's line, the quality of defence we faced in terms of the physicality was probably a step-up from last week, but also we ran in ones which allowed them to make the hit. We have to have that clarity to be able to run in twos and threes when you are up against such a physical defence."

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