Scotland coach Ian McGeechan reckons his side will be facing the form team of the southern hemisphere in the shape of South Africa this Saturday.

The tourists go into the Murrayfield encounter on the back of an opening 30-10 defeat to France at the weekend.

Their disappointing showing in Marseille comes after the Springboks managed only one win in this year's Tri-Nations series, that coming in the final match of the prestige tournament with a pulsating 33-31 triumph over world champions Australia.

However, McGeechan believes Rudolf Straeuli's new-look outfit - with eight uncapped players in his 25-strong travelling party - are on the up and should not be underestimated after losing to a formidable French team.

He said: "We tend to play the in-form Tri-Nations team. I thought at the time that South Africa were the best-equipped of the three countries at the end of the Tri-Nations.

"Their last two games against New Zealand and Australia were outstanding performances and you could see the changes in their games.

"I thought they were in better shape than Australia in that last international.

"In my book they finished the in-form side and I don't think there's any question about that when you look at what they were doing.

"They played some exceptional rugby and they brought a lot of young players through. They played very exciting rugby.

"Obviously there were good points and poor points (against France). Like all of us, in the first game back having had a break you anticipate a number of cobwebs.

"But I have the greatest respect for South Africa and South African rugby. There's no doubt, from our point of view, that this is our massive test.

"It would be very naive to underestimate the strength of South Africa and what they can do and what they are doing.

"That team have definitely moved South African rugby forward and you don't write that off in one performance."

Scotland, with three new caps in full-back Stuart Moffat, winger Nikki Walker and prop Bruce Douglas, and a relatively inexperienced back line, came in for some criticism for the way they laboured to their 37-10 win over Romania at the weekend.

However, McGeechan has faith in the fresh faces in the squad to prove themselves against the mighty challenge of the Springboks on Saturday.

He added: "The thing about the autumn is you give the players that experience and we've got some players coming through.

"But they're not coming through just as add-ons, they're coming through because they're players, we think, who have got something to offer.

"They've got to be challenged and they'll certainly be challenged on Saturday."