Scotland v South Africa:Scottish rugby has endured a grim summer off the field, and the collective mood was not helped by the sad death of David Hadden this week. Brother of the national coach, Frank Hadden, David died suddenly in his Edinburgh home at the age of 51, a decade after suffering severe brain damage when struck by a car while cycling.
Scotland's 31-21 victory over Ireland a fortnight ago has, however, encouraged the hosts to believe they are in half-decent shape.
For South Africa, this is a significant weekend as they seek momentum 13 days before the start of the World Cup.
The Springboks' build-up has been beset by fitness problems since the Tri-Nations. Their outstanding number eight Pierre Spies has been diagnosed with blood clots on his lungs. Centre Jean de Villiers is back in South Africa, sitting in an oxygen chamber in an attempt to accelerate his recovery from rib damage. And the winger Akona Ndungane has flown home having bruised chest muscles in an unimpressive 18-3 win over Connacht in Galway on Tuesday.
Their captain and hooker John Smit also misses this evening's game, having not played since damaging a hamstring in the match against Australia in June, so the lock Victor Matfield leads a team that otherwise looks close to full strength.
Frans Steyn is at inside centre in place of De Villiers and JP Pietersen starts on the right wing; the electrifying Bryan Habana returns to the back three and Fourie du Preez is at scrumhalf.
In other words, this is a South African side with no shortage of pace and verve should their mountainous forwards gain the ascendancy to unleash their backs.
Not unlike England in recent weeks, Jake White's men have found it rather easier to erect a bristling defence than to score tries against the world's better sides and today should offer a taster of what the English will face in their second pool match in Paris on September 14th.
If South Africa fail to break down an improving Scottish defence, Brian Ashton and his coaches will be delighted.
Hadden is predicting a feast "for those who like rugby in the raw", and his captain, Jason White, is promising to meet the Boks "head on".
South Africa's coach, aware the hosts have embraced a global trend by assembling what is believed to be their heaviest-ever pack, is not taking a record sixth successive win over the Scots for granted.
"We watched Scotland's game against Ireland and were impressed," Jake White said. "Frank Hadden has done an amazing amount of work for a Scottish team that doesn't have the resources of the rest of the world.
"One of the things about Scotland, and they've proved it, is they can beat anybody on their day. I was here when they beat France in 2006 and no one thought they could do that."
SCOTLAND: R Lamont; N Walker, R Dewey, A Henderson, S Webster; C Paterson, M Blair; G Kerr, R Ford, E Murray; N Hines, J Hamilton; J White (capt), K Brown, D Callam. Replacements: F Thomson, A Jacobsen, S Murray, A Hogg, R Lawson, D Parks, H Southwell.
SOUTH AFRICA: P Montgomery; JP Pietersen, J Fourie, F Steyn, B Habana; B James, F du Preez; O du Randt, G Botha, CJ van der Linde; B Botha, V Matfield (capt); S Burger, J Smith, D Rossouw. Replacements: B du Plessis, BJ Botha, A van den Berg, W van Heerden, R Pienaar, A Pretorius, A Willemse.
Referee: C Berdos (France).
