Boks aim to use altitude to flatten Scots

The Springboks are hoping to use home-ground advantage, altitude and aerial dominance to beat Scotland when the two sides meet at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday in the Nations Championship.

Canan Moodie, who has called Loftus home with the Bulls for the past three seasons, says the Boks intend to use the 1,300m altitude as more than just a physical advantage.

“It’s a fortress for us. The altitude isn’t just about the physical effect, it’s about how we play, putting them under pressure, being confrontational in the collisions, so by the end of the game they feel they’ve played a proper South African side,” he said.

With aerial duels increasingly functioning as a de facto set-piece in the modern game, Moodie says the Boks have refined, but not reinvented, an approach built over years of preparation.

“We’re well prepped for the high balls,” he said. “They come with different tactics, but we’ve been doing this for years, so we trust our system and just clean up where we can.”

Scotland arrive in South Africa off the back of a convincing victory over Argentina, with the bulk of their squad drawn from the Glasgow Warriors, a side the Bulls faced recently in a URC semi-final.

Moodie said that familiarity gives the Boks an edge heading into the clash.

“The majority of this Scotland squad is from Glasgow, so it gives us a good view of their attack and how they like to play,” he said, adding that Scotland’s backline poses a genuine threat when it plays with width.

Moodie, who will start on the wing in his 25th Test, said his role spans far more than attacking width.

“My job this weekend is on the wing, and I’ll try to execute that as best I can: high balls, defensive structure, attack,” he said. “That’s where I’m needed.”

Kick off is at 17:40 on Saturday.

Duane Vermeulen: “The guys getting an opportunity to play are definitely good enough – Test caps don’t really define you as a player” – more here: https://t.co/LZMmAcyhu0 🫡#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/zssYR0jbS6

— Springboks (@Springboks) July 8, 2026

Written by: Ntsako Mukhari