South Africa were in the Gym on Monday as they geared up for their crucial World Cup match with Scotland at St James' Park.

The Springboks travel to Newcastle on Saturday knowing that defeat against Scotland would open the door for Japan and Samoa to qualify for the quarterfinals ahead of them.

And South Africa are likely to face a partisan crowd in the North East, just 70 miles from the Scottish border.

Peiter-Steph du Toit stares at himself in the mirror as he works out at Gateshead International Stadium

Bismarck du Plessis (left) and lock Eben Etzebeth (right) speak during the indoor training session

South Africa's back row forward Siya Kolisi works out with cables ahead of Saturday's Scotland match

Springboks prop Jannie du Plessis lifts dumbells as his team prepared for their Pool B match in Newcastle

The South Africa players were training without captain Jean de Villiers for the first time since his retierment

Hooker Schalk Brits shows off his upper body strength as he completes pull-ups in the Gateshead gym

The 2007 champions know they will have to face the Dark Blues without their imposing captain Jean de Villiers, who retired from rugby after fracturing his jaw against Samoa.

Perhaps the players used this for motivation in the weight room at Gateshead International Stadium, knowing they would have to try to win the World Cup without their on-field leader.

Speaking on the loss of his captain, Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer said de Villiers would go down as one of the best players to ever play for South Africa.

Du Toit (right) takes a breather after a tough indoor training session ahead of Springboks' clash with Scotland

Brits works on his upper body strength with free-weights with five days to go until South Africa's next match

Veteran South Africa lock Victor Matfield takes part in training at Gateshead International Stadium

Du Plessis holds himself up in the press-up position during South Africa's training session in Gateshead

'The way in which he never gave up fighting to overcome his last serious knee injury reminded me again how much of a warrior he is and how highly he regarded the Springbok jersey,' Meyer said.

'He will go down as one of the greatest Springboks ever and in my eyes he is probably one of the best captains in the history of world rugby, who always put the team first and gave his time for any player, young or old without ever changing who he is.

'To see the emotions in the team room when he said his good byes to his team-mates made me realise how well-liked he is, by every person in this squad, but also most other people in the world-wide rugby fraternity.

'Jean enriched my life and I hold him in very high regard, as a person and rugby player. Rugby will be poorer without Jean de Villiers.'