What tricks will Elton bring to the Boks against Scotland?

What a Test match to look forward to.

While Wales last week was always going to be an arm-wrestle because of the similar styles of the two teams, this week we have two sides that play quite differently from one another – and that should make for some very intriguing and interesting rugby.

It’s going to be interesting to see if one team really gets on top of the other; in this case a more defence-minded Springboks and a Scotland team that seemingly likes to play attacking rugby. Which style will dominate the other and who’ll come out of it the superior side?

All the talk in the build-up has been about the playmaker in the Scotland team, Finn Russell, and how he might be the man to finally crack the normally solid Bok defence.

Russell is, of course, a quality player and a key man in this Scotland lineup and he showed in his brief appearance in the third Lions Test against the Boks in August he has something quite unique and different to the normal flyhalves in the UK.

He gave the Boks a few headaches in that Lions Test so the Boks will be keen to close him down quickly and ensure he doesn’t get on top of them. He can expect plenty of attention from the home side’s big boys.

Opposing him will be Elton Jantjies and I firmly believe there is a very good reason behind his selection this week — to try a few different things in attack in this Test.

Elton plays differently to Handre Pollard. He’s got some X-factor about him, and I suspect he’ll play like he did when he was at the Lions in Joburg. He’ll play closer to the gainline and look to distribute well, including with his boot, with his kick-passes to the outer channels.

Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe, out wide, can expect a few balls to be coming his way.

It doesn’t mean, however, that Jantjies is not going to follow the Bok game-plan and style, because he certainly will, but he’ll be allowed to play his game, too, which should be exciting.

I’m also curious to see how the Boks, and especially Willie le Roux, exploit the 50-22 rule. I think it could be a reason behind Willie’s recall.

Scotland like to defend quite high, with 13 men on the front line and only two at the back – normally the fullback and a wing or the scrumhalf to defend the space – so there could be an opportunity behind the Scotland defence, and Willie might be able to kick into that space.

Finally, the Scots will be full of confidence after dominating Australia in the scrums last week and they’ll feel they can also put the Boks under pressure there. We’ll have to see about that, but it sure promises to be a very exciting contest.