Scotland kick off their Rugby World Cup campaign against South Africa in Marseille on Sunday.
Here, the PA news agency sets the scene with five talking points ahead of the mouth-watering Pool B showdown at Stade Velodrome.
Box-office starter to top-heavy group
Beyond the opening game between France and New Zealand on Friday, the Scots’ showdown with the Springboks is the most eye-catching of the first round of pool fixtures. Indeed, Sunday’s match in Marseille is for higher stakes than the opening game in Paris given the strength of Pool B and the reduced margin for error.
The fact the draw was made back in 2020, when several teams were in notably different shape to what they are now, has led to a situation whereby three of the current top five in the world are in the same group. One of South Africa, Ireland or Scotland is guaranteed to be eliminated at the group stage.
Each of the head-to-heads between those three teams are sure to be crucial in deciding who qualifies, assuming they all make light work of both Tonga and Romania. Victory for either team at Stade Velodrome will stand them in good stead to progress from this heavyweight section.
Both teams in buoyant mood
The two sides kick off the World Cup with every right to be optimistic about their chances.
South Africa have climbed from fourth to second in the world rankings in the weeks leading up to the tournament on the back of four consecutive wins. Their emphatic destructions of Wales and New Zealand last month were particularly impressive, ensuring they begin their defence of the Webb Ellis Cup as one of the favourites.
Scotland go into the tournament with words of lofty praise from John Jeffrey ringing in their ears after the 1990 Grand Slam hero branded them the best Scottish team ever at their World Cup welcome ceremony in Nice on Monday.
The Scots are ranked fifth in the world and have arrived in France with a genuine belief that they can beat any team in the world. One of these sides is set to have their bubble burst on weekend one.
Scots must defy history and break new ground
Scotland have never previously defeated a tier-one nation at a Rugby World Cup. In addition, they have lost each of their last seven meetings with South Africa.
It is 13 years since the Scots last beat the Springboks as Dan Parks kicked every point for Andy Robinson’s team in a 21-17 victory in an autumn Test at Murrayfield in November 2010. The last clash between these two nations was almost two years ago, when South Africa won 30-15 in Edinburgh.
The Scots have beaten the Springboks only five times in 28 attempts over more than a century, but Gregor Townsend’s side have ended long winless streaks in recent years, most notably away to France and England.
Style war – power v panache
Along with France and New Zealand, Scotland have become one of the most swashbuckling attacking teams on the planet, while South Africa are the most powerful.
The brutish Springboks will attempt to bulldoze their opponents out of their rhythm, while the Scots – with the on-form Finn Russell pulling the strings at stand-off – are intent on outrunning and outplaying the formidable world champions. It promises to be an intriguing clash of styles.
Can Scots handle the heat?
With France sizzling amid a late-summer heatwave, both sides have had to contend with scorching temperatures throughout their first week at their respective bases on the Cote d’Azur, with the Scots in Nice and the Springboks along the sunkissed coast at Toulon.
The two teams will now come together in the melting pot of Marseille, where it is expected to be in the mid-20s come kick-off at 5.45pm local time.
Scotland will hope the two previous stints they spent in Nice earlier this summer will stand them in good stead, although coach John Dalziel said earlier this week that it feels hotter now, in early September, than it did when they were here previously in June and August.
A French journalist in the media room in Marseille commented on Friday that “it is too hot to play rugby”, although the implementation of water breaks is sure to be welcomed by all involved.
The Scots’ fitness – something they have prided themselves on this summer – is sure to be tested to the limit.
Gatland future up in the air after Wales suffer 12th consecutive loss
Wales head coach Warren Gatland did not have answers about his future following their 45-12 defeat to South Africa, their 12th consecutive loss.
The Springboks dominated from the off and were cruising 26-0 just before half-time, after Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Elrigh Louw crossed.
Rio Dyer's try before the break ensured Wales did not draw a blank in the first half, but South Africa did not let up as Aphelele Fassi, Gerhard Steenenkamp and Jordan Hendrikse all followed suit.
James Botham's late effort ensured Wales did not suffer their worst-ever home defeat, but they have now gone an entire calendar year without a win for the first time since 1937.
Gatland has come under increasing pressure as the losses pile up, and though his future remains up in the air, he was proud of how his inexperienced side held up against the world champions.
"It's about seeing what the Welsh Rugby Union has to say," he told TNT Sports when asked about his future.
"You don't make a decision straight after a game, it's always tough coming to a press conference straight after a game before you've had time to catch your breath and look at some of the stats and numbers.
"Let's just see what happens over the next few days."
On their recent run of form, he added: "We punched massively above our weight for a number of years, and we've been saying that when the dam bursts it's going to take a little bit of time to put things right.
"The dam has burst, but it's about making sure that, collectively, with the regions we work together.
"I think we need to be in better shape in a conditioning point of view. We will work on that with some of the players over the next couple of months, so when they turn up for the Six Nations, they're ready to go from day one."
South Africa have won each of their last three Tests, building on their wins over Scotland and England earlier in the series.
Captain Siya Kolisi was pleased with their ruthlessness in the game but also sympathised with Gatland's situation.
"It's been a really good tour," he told TNT Sports. "It hasn't been perfect, the first two games we weren't happy - happy we won, but there was so much we could have done better.
"The results are important, but it's how you do things, the standards we set for ourselves. We know we can do a little bit better as a group.
"We were where Wales are a couple of years ago.
"The only thing I can say is you just can't stop believing. If you look at their starting backline, one of our guys had more caps than all of them. You have to be realistic about these things."
Elsewhere, Ireland produced their most convincing win of their series, scoring eight tries as they cruised past Fiji 52-17 in Dublin earlier on Saturday.
France 37-23 Argentina: Les Bleus wrap up campaign with third win
France posted a comfortable 37-23 win over Argentina on Friday to make it three wins out of three tests at the Stade de France to conclude their Autumn Nations Series.
Having also beaten New Zealand and Japan in Paris this month, Fabien Galthie's side claimed four tries, including a superb solo effort from Louis Bielle-Biarrey, as they eased to victory against the Pumas.
The hosts led 30-9 at the break after Argentina's Julian Montoya and Juan Martin Gonzalez were both shown yellow cards in the first half, with Thomas Ramos slotting his third penalty of the game.
Tomas Albornoz made it 30-16 for Felipe Contepomi's visitors, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed as Bielle-Biarrey scored his fourth try in three games before Ramos made it 37-16.
Albornoz then cut the deficit to 37-23 with a two-pointer with nine minutes to play, but that wasn't enough to stop his side from falling to a defeat.
"We knew it was going to be an 80-minute game. We saw last week how Argentina went all the way against a good Irish team," France lock Emmanuel Meafou told TNT Sports.
"We are happy with the win. We have three from three [in the autumn] and we will look to build on that in the Six Nations next year."
England must be 'brave on the ball' to halt winless run, says Borthwick
England head coach Steve Borthwick has demanded his team to be "brave on the ball" when they take on Eddie Jones' Japan in the Autumn Nations Series on Sunday.
Borthwick's side have lost each of their last five matches, their longest such run since another five-game stretch between February and June 2018.
However, they have not lost more in a row since a streak of seven in 2006. Each of the five losses in their current streak have also come in single-digit margins.
But England have also struggled at home. They have fallen to defeat in their last three matches at the Allianz Stadium, their longest losing run since 2008.
Only once before have they lost more in a row at the Twickenham venue (L5 between 1971 and 1973), though Borthwick has urged his players to persist with an attacking style.
"We are trying to play the game a different way," he told BBC Sport.
"I am encouraging the players to be brave with the ball, to move the ball, that’s where the strength of the team now is and where it is going to be in the future."
Borthwick named his 23-man squad to face Japan on Friday, reinstating Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, nicknamed the "Kamikaze Kids" by Jones in 2019.
Curry has been recalled to the team after he was knocked out against Australia, and he replaces Chandler Cunningham-South in the back-row.
In the other change from the starting XV that lost to South Africa, full-back George Furbank comes in for Freddie Steward.
Fin Smith replaces George Ford on England's bench while Cunningham-South steps in for Alex Dombrandt. Sale's Opoku-Fordjour could also make his senior debut.
"We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo," said Borthwick.
"Japan are a dangerous team, so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes."
England team to face Japan
George Furbank, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Nick Isiekwe, Chandler Cunningham-South, Harry Randall, Fin Smith, Tom Roebuck.
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