EDINBURGH, Scotland — In a solid defensive performance, South Africa triumphed over Scotland with a score of 32-15 at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Despite the score appearing to favor the Springboks, the reigning world champions are poised to reclaim the No. 1 ranking when it is updated on Monday.

Scotland managed to close the gap to just four points during a strong period in the third quarter; however, a combination of impulsive decisions and South Africa’s effective scrambling defense thwarted their efforts to secure the much-needed try.

The Scottish side was limited to scoring solely through five penalties by Finn Russell, and they were unable to cross the try line in their Rugby World Cup pool match in Marseille 14 months prior.

In the final quarter, South Africa expertly kept Scotland at bay, showcasing dominance in the scrum, especially after inserting a largely fresh pack for the second half. The only forward who played the entire match was stand-in captain Eben Etzebeth.

The Springboks featured a 7-1 bench filled with forwards for this match, a strategy first implemented since the World Cup final, indicating their focus on conserving energy for their pivotal encounter against England, the main target of their British tour, scheduled for next weekend.