Rugby World Cup: How Scotland's group looks after big wins for South Africa and Ireland

South Africa's Grant Williams (second right) celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's seventh try in the win over Romania. (Photo by ROMAIN PERROCHEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Ireland lead the way on a maximum 10 points from two games after a crushing 59-16 bonus-point victory over Tonga in Nantes on Saturday evening on the back of their 82-8 demolition of Romania in their tournament opener last weekend.

South Africa are tucked in just behind them on nine points after following up their 18-3 win over Scotland last week with a trouble-free 76-0 thumping of Romania at the Stade de Bordeaux on Sunday afternoon where Cobus Reinach and Makazole Mapimpi helped themselves to hat-tricks.

Scotland have yet to post their first points of the tournament but sit in third place ahead of Tonga, who they face in their second group match at the Stade de Nice next Sunday, thanks to a better points differential of -15 compared to the Tongans -43. Romania prop up the group on zero points with a points differential of -150.

Scotland will almost certainly need to win their remaining three Pool B fixtures – against Tonga, Romania and Ireland – to finish inside the top two positions required to qualify for the quarter-finals, with the group winners likely to avoid hosts France and face New Zealad in the last eight.

Rugby World Cup Pool B table

1 Ireland – 10pts, +117, played 2

2 South Africa – 9pts, +91, played 2

3 Scotland – 0pts, -15, played 1

4 Tonga – 0pts, -43, played 1

5 Romania – 0pts, -150, played 2