THE Springboks will be looking to put the brakes on an evolving Italian team when the two sides clash in Saturday’s Test match at Loftus (5.10pm kickoff).
It will be the 17th time the two countries clash, with South Africa winning 15 games and Italy’s only win coming in 2016 when they surprised the Boks in a 20-18 victory in Florence.
In subsequent years, since the famous 2016 win against the Boks, the Azzurri have had a roller-coaster time of lowlights but have found a newfound vigour under the coaching of Argentine Gonzalo Quesada.
The visitors, now no longer seen as a physical team that are limited to just challenging at set-piece, have the ability to run the ball and bring into play their exciting backline players, like fullback Ange Capuozo.
However, since winning back-to-back World Cups, coach Rassie Erasmus’ Bokke, have also hit the evolution button, when it comes to playing a more attacking brand of rugby.
And they will be eyeing to show some more of the tricks that attack coach Tony Brown has brought on board after showing glimpses in last week’s 54-7 friendly Qatar Airways Cup win over the Barbarians innie Kaap.
But Erasmus knows that – unlike last week’s easy-going against a makeshift team of star players – the intensity will have to lift a few more levels as they tackle a well-drilled Azzurri side.
Of not taking the visitors lightly as they hope to hit hard in their first of two July Italian jobs, Erasmus said: “This is not the Italy of old.
“They’ve got structure now, a strong kicking game, and they bring real physicality. We expect passion and a physicality that we need to handle.
“This is the first Test of the year and we want to set the tone.
“That’s why we’ve picked a strong side… This team must try and get it right.”
BOKS v ITALY: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (capt), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche REPLACEMENTS: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Willie le Roux