Scotland 10 South Africa 14
Scotland suffered their biggest ever dose of World Cup heartbreak - almost three years before the tournament even kicks off.
They needed a victory over the world champions at Murrayfield to safeguard their place in the top eight in the global pecking order.
But the glee induced by a 10-0 halftime lead turned to grief as the Springboks shook off their jitters to snatch a win.
As a result, the Scots will not be among the main seeds in next month's draw for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand and will be pitched into a group with two of the game's giants.
And that will severely endanger their record of having never failed to make it into the quarter-finals.
It could all have been so different had Scotland not missed a spate of goal kicks, but at least they broke their 14-month long home-turf try duck.
After Dan Parks had missed two early penalties, it was third time lucky when Phil Godman slotted it between the sticks.
Having been under the cosh for a long spell, South Africa returned to attack mode but the momentum was lost when they gave away their umpteenth penalty for ruck offences.
Then came the moment the Murrayfield faithful had been waiting so long for.
A darting run by Godman on the brink of halftime set up a series of rucks close to the Boks line, and the patient approach paid off when Nathan Hines hurled himself over.
Godman added the conversion to pave the way for a tense second half.
Predictably, South Africa came back out with all guns blazing and the gap was narrowed when Ruan Pienaar clipped over a point-blank range penalty for offside.
He repeated the dose in the 55th minute to pile more pressure on the hosts, who were beginning to feel the pace.
And the tide turned within seconds as substitute winger Jaques Fourie grabbed an excellent try following a slick handling move to edge his side in front.
The tension level rose when Godman squandered a penalty bid at the other end - and quickly Pienaar completed his treble.
Even worse was to come for Godman as he bungled another simple kick just when it looked as if Scotland had found a second wind.
SOUTH AFRICA 14 (J Fourie try; R Pienaar 3 pens) bt SCOTLAND 10 (N Hines try; P Godman pen, con) at Murrayfield.
AFP
