South Africa - united they fell. (Getty Images)

By Neal Collins

So it's farewell to South Africa, the mighty champions of 1995, and to Scotland the brave but never quite successful.

I know who I'd rather have supported.

Ian McGeechan's parting shot at the World Cup turned out a lot less embarrassing then expected.

The Scots' controversial 33-16 defeat against holders Australia in Brisbane was a relative triumph for a side who were lucky to survive their pool.

Remember, before the World Cup they lost to Wales and there were real fears they'd finish behind Fiji.

Ultimately, they survived by two points to claim the quarter-final spot.

We knew they'd go no further.

That they got this far was down to one last touch of tactical genius from 'Geech' and his grim assistant Jim Telfer.

They finally pushed the 82-cap veteran Gregor Townsend to centre and put young Edinburgh wing Chris Paterson into the firing line at fly-half.

That single move appeared to lift the side and only a couple of controversial decisions from Kiwi referee Steve Walsh denied them a more dramatic finish.

Telfer growled afterwards: "We deserved to get closer than that. Their first try was a reffing mistake. I'm very proud of our lads but I'm glad I'm retiring."

South Africa, like the Scots, face the long flight home. But they leave with shoulders slumped and heads down.

I really thought they had a chance against New Zealand.

But when they turned up amid the wide open spaces of a far-from-full Telstra Dome the Boks looked as enthusiastic as the Aussie Rules-supporting people of Melbourne.

Sure, they were up for it against England a month ago. Full of big tackles and bodies on the line.

And they weren't too bad in their 60-10 thrashing of Samoa a week ago either.

So what happened on Saturday?

Did Rudi Straueli forget to throw the tea-cups about in the dressing room?

Did all that defiant singing in the face of the Carlos Spencer-led Haka leave the poor lambs exhausted?

Blimey, the only guy who showed any fight was Corne Krige.

He told us in Fremantle before the England game he was a changed man. No you aren't Corne, not when the chips are down.

He may as well not have bothered with the nasty stuff. South Africa were never in it.

The All Blacks, threatening to cut loose at any given moment in the first half, never really got in to their stride.

But they did enough to make this strangely listless bunch of Boks look what they are: better than minnows, but no longer part of the Big Five.

The 29-9 scoreline flattered South Africa.

Gideon Sam spent a long time on Saturday night pleading that we spare the head of Rudi Straeuli.

He said: "We have to look at what he has achieved in the long term. We mustn't act hastily."

It's tempting to hark back to the Boks' disgraceful thuggery at Twickenham last November and against the Australians in Brisbane earlier this year.

But let's not.

Let's remember the titanic clash against England in Perth on the second weekend of this endless tournament.

The crowd that night were the most passionate of this excellent World Cup so far.

Let's remember what 89-cap Joost van der Westhuizen gave to this odd-shaped game before he wandered off, dazed by defeat, a few minutes before the end of Saturday's quarter-final.

And let's look ahead to a time when Derick Hougaard, Jacques Fourie and Joe van Niekerk herald a new dawn for South African rugby.

Just as Paterson must lead the way for a Scotland without Kenny Logan and Bryan Redpath.

I say, leave Rudi be.

Give him at least until the next Tri-Nations.

Hougaard and Paterson may have flown home, but I suspect we haven't seen the last of them on the world stage.