Scotland have a free play and Finn Russell tries to chip across to Kyle Steyn. It's knocked on, and we all come back for a penalty.

Interestingly, Russell goes for the corner.

Johnnie Beattie
Former Scotland back row on ITV

A good early defensive set for Scotland as both sides feel each other out.

Scotland are racking up the phases early on, and have managed to get down into South Africa's 22m through a big Ewan Ashman carry.

But there's a penalty against the hooker for crawling. A disappointment that that charge leads to nothing.

And we are under way in Pretoria, with South Africa in their green and gold and Scotland in their... lavender?

Yeah, let's call it lavender.

Pierre Brousset is the referee.

Colin Gregor
Former Glasgow Warriors back on BBC Radio Scotland

I do worry for Scotland.

I think it'll be close but South Africa will have too much firepower.

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports on Sportsound

South Africa have staggering depth. This is still a very good team.

I think it's gettable but Scotland will need to get so many things right. They need to be almost foot perfect.

In a different universe, Boan Venter could be lining up in a Scotland shirt in this game.

It was hoped that the loosehead prop would pull on the Thistle as he ticked into his fifth year at Edinburgh and qualified through residency.

But just before he became available to Gregor Townsend, the Boks called him up last summer to play against Georgia, before naming him in their Rugby Championship squad.

The 29-year-old now has eight caps for South Africa, and will join the Lions in his homeland after this tournament, and after 112 appearances for Edinburgh.

Image source, SNS

With all those stars missing, who have South Africa turned to?

Tighthead prop Wilco Louw is the experience in the front row, and the heft, too. At 6'1" tall and 22st 9lbs wide, he is a real man mountain.

Pieter-Steph du Toit takes the armband in his 97th cap, while number eight Evan Roos has biceps the size of most people's thighs.

The recognisable names come in the backline. Handre Pollard will orchestrate from fly-half, with Damien Willemse and Jesse Kriel a formidable pair in midfield.

Canan Moodie was a late injury doubt but there has been no change to the Boks' XV.

Image source, Getty Images

Rassie Erasmus' side have been decimated by injury. Let's take a little look at the players they're missing.

The following starters, or potential starters, are out: Loosehead Ox Nche, hooker Malcolm Marx, tighthead Frans Malherbe, locks Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, RG Snyman, and Lood de Jager, captain Siya Kolisi, back-rower Kwagga Smith, utility man Deon Fourie, fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and centre Andre Esterhuizen.

There's a lot of big names in there. Not that the South Africa side named is going to be weak, as such.

But it's a starting forward pack missing a lot of key men.

Image source, Getty Images

The big news for Scotland last week was there was no Finn Russell through injury. It turned out not to matter much, as Tom Jordan starred on his first Scotland start at fly-half.

However, you just can't leave out Scotland's talisman and Townsend flings him straight back in for the trip to Pretoria.

Zander Fagerson also comes in from the start, with Elliot Millar Mills ruled out through injury.

There's no Jonny Gray either, so Gregor Brown comes into the XV. Alex Samuel was down for a place on the bench, but pulled out this morning with a knee injury. Max Williamson comes in.

Image source, SNS

South Africa: Fassi, E van der Merwe, Kriel, Willemse, Moodie; Pollard, Papier; Venter, Grobbelaar, W Louw, C Wiese, Nortje, De Villiers, Du Toit (c), Roos.

Replacements: Wessels, McHunu, Porthen, Dixon, V Tshituka, E Louw, Williams, Horn.

Scotland: Rowe, Steyn, Hutchinson, Tuipulotu (c), Dobie; Russell, White; Schoeman, Ashman, Z Fagerson, Brown, Cummings, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Hiddleston, Sutherland, Hurd, Williamson, Bayliss, Bradbury, Jordan, McDowall.

Welcome to our coverage of Scotland's second Nations Championship game, and it's one of the toughest assignments in world rugby.

South Africa, in Pretoria. 1,350m above sea level. The world's number one side. The reigning World Cup champs.

Scotland have never won in South Africa. Can they achieve the unthinkable today?

Image source, Getty Images

It's almost time for our live text to begin but, before that, make sure you listen to our live radio coverage.

Andy Burke is in the chair, with former Scotland prop Peter Wright and ex-Glasgow Warriors man Colin Gregor next to him.

And Tom English, back from his American adventure.

Listen at the top of the page.