South Africa v Scotland LIVE: Rugby World Cup score and latest updates from Marseille

Fully-fit Darcy Graham declared that he and Duhan van der Merwe are intent on filling their boots at the World Cup as they chase down Scotland’s all-time try record.

The free-scoring Edinburgh pair have developed into two of the most dangerous wings in world rugby and are aiming to showcase their finishing ability on the biggest stage of all in France, with the formidable South Africans first up in Marseille on Sunday evening.

The recently-retired Stuart Hogg currently holds the Scottish record with 27 but Van Der Merwe has got himself up to joint-fifth with Tommy Seymour after scoring three in his last two matches to take his tally to 20, while Graham is seventh with 19 after scoring seven tries in his last four international outings.

“Yes, definitely,” said Graham when asked if he sees the World Cup as a good chance to get closer to top spot. “Obviously Hoggy’s got it and me and Duhan are hunting him down.

In his first column of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, writing exclusively for The Independent Premium, the Scotland and Lions legend Stuart Hogg tips his nation to pull off some upsets in a tough pool… and reveals the defensive secrets behind their revival

With half an hour until kick-off, why not have a read of the former Scottish international’s thoughts on his nation’s hopes in this World Cup.

Some gates do appear to be flowing more easily. This stand was where many England fans faced heavy queues yesterday, but people appear to be flowing in a bit easier today.

All a bit of a lottery, it would appear.

More frustrating reports are beginning to come in from fans trying to attend the game today in Marseille.

Yesterday evening, many England fans were unable to get inside the stadium in time for kick-off due to lengthy queues at the gates into the stadium.

Tournament organisers had announced they were deploying more volunteers but the queues are here in Marseille once again.

“We’ve been sent on a 20 minute walk all the way around the stadium and there are hundreds of people in a chaotic queue,” one spectator outside the Veledrome said.

“You can’t get in any other gate even though there are loads that are quiet.”

Scotland have strengthened their scrum and made one back-line change from the 33-6 win over Georgia at Murrayfield as Zander Fagerson and Pierre Schoeman take over at prop from WP Nel and Jamie Bhatti respectively, with George Turner in at hooker in place of Dave Cherry. Veteran Richie Gray, who competed at the 2011 and 2015 World Cups but missed out on Japan four years ago, returns in the second row in place of Sam Skinner and former Australia international Jack Dempsey is picked ahead of Matt Fagerson at the base of the scrum

Blair Kinghorn at full back in place of Ollie Smith is the only other change meaning the centre combination of Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu continues.

For South Africa, captain Siya Kolisi is back after recovering from knee surgery in April to be fit in time to lead his country for the World Cup. He made a successful return against Wales last month and is good to go for the tournament. However, the Springboks are without experienced fly-half Handre Pollard (calf injury) and centre Lukhanyo Am (knee) for the tournament as Boks coach Jacques Nienaber makes four changes to the side that dismantled the All Blacks in the warm-ups.

Cheslin Kolbe is on the wing at the expense of Makazole Mapimpi with centres Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel replacing Andre Esterhuizen and the injured Canan Moodie. Jasper Wiese is also named at No 8, with Duane Vermeulen on the bench.

“Stuart Hogg, who has joined The Independent as a columnist for the tournament, is at the Stade Velodrome working on World Rugby’s broadcast, and has been reacquainting himself with a couple of members of the Scottish staff pitchside, hearty hugs and backslaps from the recently retired full back.

“Finn Russell is working through his warm-up routines, lining up a couple of kicks of goal, before hurrying over to give his old mate an embrace.”

With just under an hour to go, let’s have a reminder of the line-ups for this afternoon’s clash:

South Africa XV: Damian Willemse; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe; Manie Libbok, Faf de Klerk; Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert; Siya Kolisi, Peter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese

Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Duane Vermeulen, Grant Williams, Willie le Roux

Scotland XV: Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham, Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Duhan van der Merwe; Finn Russell, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Richie Gray, Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie (captain), Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey,

Replacements: Dave Cherry, Jamie Bhatti, WP Nel, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Ali Price, Cameron Redpath, Ollie Smith

A more emphatic declaration of World Cup intent there could not have been. As the All Blacks hauled themselves off the Twickenham pitch, battered, bruised and beaten by a record margin, South Africa were already looking at what was next. A fortnight before the tournament, and four years on from a triumph that united a nation, the world champion Springboks were back in business and had their eyes fixed squarely on a World Cup prize.

The 36-7 win counted for nothing tangible in the context of the tournament to come but the message was clear.

Ireland and France may have risen to form a leading quartet of contenders but the Webb Ellis Cup will not be prized easily out of South Africa’s hands.

Can the defending champions retain the trophy? Find out below:

Pessimism can sometimes seem to come a little too naturally to Scottish rugby fans, a certain fatalism worn almost as a badge of honour after too many days of disappointment and dejection, of squandered opportunities and wondering what might have been.

It perhaps feels somewhat appropriate, then, for Gregor Townsend to have assembled perhaps the finest side in the nation’s long rugby history and still know a second successive World Cup pool stage effort is on the cards if the tournament goes to form. Plenty has already been written about the lopsided draw but it feels particularly cruel to the Scots, inarguably among the top five sides in the world but drawn together with two of the four top favourites in the pool.

Townsend’s band of history makers have risen to new heights over these last four years, turning Calcutta Cup hope almost into expectation and building further through these last few months. Top to bottom, the likely 23 that will begin the tournament against South Africa in Marseille contains few clear weaknesses.

A preview of Scotland’s hopes for the tournament: