Matt Williams craves a big scalp

Scotland coach Matt Williams is confident that his side is making significant progress, but conceded that the Springboks will arrival at Murrayfield on Saturday as favourites.

Big game hunting: Chris Paterson

But buoyed by a 100-8 win over Japan, and an improved performance against the Wallabies in Glasgow last week,  Williams believes that a Scottish victory against a top side is getting nearer.

"I think 90 percent of people acknowledge that we have come forward significantly and the statistics show that," he said.

"We are not suggesting that we are where we want to be, because this team is still evolving and we have a lot of work to do but we are coming forward and that's the main thing.

"But we are not running away from the fact we haven't beaten a top 10 team this year.

"Winning is everything and that is what we are here for. The point is you have to deserve to win and winning at the top level is a reward for doing things right and that's what England did against the Springboks and what Argentina did against France.

"You can score 100 points against Japan but if you lose a scrum against a top side then that can lose you a match.

"Test matches are lost on inches. We have made up a lot of ground but we are losing it on inches.

"We make no bones about it, we want to win every game we go into but a win on Saturday would do this young side a world of good.

"You couldn't pay for what a victory against a top side would do for the confidence of this team."

Springboks coach Jake White, who has watched his team lose their last two matches to Ireland and England, will make seven changes to his side for Murrayfield and has decided to hand Solly Tyibilika and Gurtho Steenkamp their first caps.

Williams, however, felt the advantage still lies with the South Africans on Saturday.

"Jake will have down his homework and he will have his own theories and plans," he said.

"Under him they have played very direct and very physical rugby and I don't expect that to change too much.

"They have hard-running centres, a very powerful back row and the spine of their side hasn't changed.

"There is 300,000 rugby players in South Africa and we only have 10,000 so they have a lot of depth.

"And they will be disappointed by their loss last week so I expect them to come right out at us."