Rugby: Hines highlights champs' dangerous duo

Nathan Hines has drawn on experience that makes him the most capped player in the Scottish starting line-up against South Africa at Murrayfield today to pinpoint two of the players that these world champions rely on more than most.

The 33-year-old utility forward has faced the Springboks eight times in his 65 international appearances and, along with Chris Paterson and Nikki Walker, is one of three players in the home match-day squad of 22 who have tasted victory in the fixture as a consequence of a 21-6 triumph in 2002. That was a match missed by the Springboks 103 cap skipper and second row, Victor Matfield, but there have been plenty of other opportunities for Hines to lock horns with the 2007 World Cup final man-of-the-match.

"If there is one forward we have to contain more than any other it is Victor, a major source of possession who steers South Africa's line-out.

"He is a threat obviously and somebody we have to watch.

"As for the backs Francois Steyn is a big lad of 6ft 3in and 15st 10lbs which makes him difficult to stop out wide."

As well as playing against them more than any other country on his CV, Hines has other reasons to enjoy his rivalry with the Bokke. "I toured South Africa with the Lions in 2009 and that was a great experience and the last of my two tries for Scotland was against them.

"The last meeting at Murrayfield was one that got away through a ten minute lapse in the second half. We won't make that mistake again and as for starting a match at flanker (as opposed to second row] for the first time I've moved there during a match and also had a few starts in the back row for Leinster this season.

"Like everything in rugby you learn to adapt."