One of Jim Telfer's more imaginative ploys as Scotland coach has been to introduce martial arts techniques to improve his players' reflexes. But one thing the Scots can't afford at Murrayfield tomorrow evening is to get involved in a wrestling match.
The South African pack, as epitomised by the 19-stone prop Os du Randt, will surely be too powerful for the Scots at close quarters, and conceding weight advantage means Telfer's team will have to keep "The Ox" and his pals on the hoof.
"The South African pack is big and heavy, we must keep the ball away from the areas where they excel and get into places where they are not going to be," said the Scotland lock Scott Murray. "In theory they can't get around the field as quickly as we can."
In theory. And if rugby were played on the blackboard rather than on the rugby pitch Scotland would really fancy their chances in this Pool A opener, a game which in all probability will see the winners take the high road straight to the quarter-finals in Paris and the losers take a longer route via a quarterfinal play-off in Edinburgh.
In Telfer and Ian McGeechan, the Scotland coach-in-waiting, the Scots have two of the best tacticians and psychologists around. But on the pitch South Africa appear to have too much firepower for the Scots to gain their fourth victory over the Springboks in 12 meetings.
Yes, the Springboks had a wretched Tri-Nations, losing by record scores in New Zealand and Australia, and yes, they were beaten by Wales for the first time in their history. And the old enmity between the Cape-based players and Afrikaners in their dressing-room has opened up again.
But South Africa have key players like their new captain Joost van der Westhuizen, Henry Honiball and Mark Andrews back in harness. The out-half Honiball is just about the best defensive number 10 in the business and his duel with Gregor Townsend may hold the key to the result.
Given all this, the reigning world champions should have too many guns for the Scots in this the most important pool game in Pool A.
