Scots take altitude gamble

Teams who play on the high veldt normally give themselves ten days to acclimatise, or arrive within 24 hours of the kick-off to avoid any possible side-effects.

The first international was played at sea level here in Durban three days ago, and the Springboks will travel to Johannesburg on Friday night, arriving just 20 hours before kick-off. Scotland will arrive exactly a day earlier.

The Scots coped well with the heat and humidity of Durban despite losing 29-25, and they remain hopeful of being able to turn around their fortunes and strike victory in Johannesburg. However, the 6,000-feet altitude has put paid to the hopes of many touring sides at Ellis Park in the past, and remains a factor which has to be well managed to ensure the strength of players is not sapped from their bodies.

A South Africa official said: "We are a bit surprised to hear that the Scots are going up to Johannesburg on Thursday. We are going on Friday evening and that is the trend of virtually all the teams who have played here in recent times.

"In the Super 12 this year, all the visiting teams from New Zealand and Australia trained in Durban and then flew up to Jo’burg on the night before the match. The best way to combat the effects of altitude is to either arrive on the high veldt at least ten days before the game and acclimatise, or just get in within 24 hours of kick-off.

"The Scottish team will spend nearly 48 hours up there, which is a change from the normal. It will be interesting to see if it makes a difference on Saturday."

The Scottish squad doctor, Sam Hewitt, shrugged aside such concerns, insisting that the camp had fully examined the altitude switch, and the management team were confident there would be no obvious effects in the players spending a day more than their opponents at high altitude.

"We explored various options before deciding when we would travel, but there are advantages and disadvantages to going up 48 hours before and 24," said Dr Hewitt.

"Going up on Friday, for instance, would not give the team the time they need to have a run-out in match conditions in a new stadium, the kickers the chance to find out how much further the ball travels at altitude, and travel recovery, which we felt was vital.

"Ideally, you would want to come here ten days before and properly acclimatise, but that wasn’t an option on this tour, and I’m confident the players will cope.

"It’s tough on them whatever time we get there in advance of the game. Their lungs will feel like they’re burning up in the first 20 minutes, but these are very fit guys and they are used to pushing their bodies to the limit."

Meanwhile, the Springboks have called former skipper Bobby Skinstad and wing Brent Russell into the squad for the second Test.

Full-back Ricardo Loubscher has been dropped from the team which beat Scotland at King’s Park, squad hooker Hanyani Shimange is left out and centre Andre Snyman has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Marius Joubert is expected to replace Snyman, while Russell and Skinstad will also come into contention for starting berths. Springbok coach Rudi Straeuli admitted he has also considered recalling AJ Venter to the squad, with props Cobus Visagie, Robbie Kempson and Selborne Boome also in the frame to start.

Scotland captain Bryan Redpath sat out training yesterday with a dead leg, but is not considered a doubt for Saturday, and coach Ian McGeechan revealed: "We’re not going to make great changes because when you’re nailing a game you need to be able to build on it, but we know conditions will be different and the Springboks will be different.

"We know that was a massive missed chance for us - there’s no way we should have let them back in the game. Psychologically now, we have to win the game all over again, but we’re preparing for that."