South Africa claimed a decisive 32-14 victory against Italy in Turin, putting on a display of strength even while facing significant adversity. The match saw Franco Mostert receive a red card just 11 minutes in due to dangerous play; however, the Springboks demonstrated impressive resilience, drawing on their experience to weather early pressure from the Italians.
Italy, coming off a morale-boosting win against Australia, sought to capitalize on their momentum. Despite the advantage of an extra player early in the game, they struggled to convert their opportunities, with key penalties missed by Paolo Garbisi. South Africa opened the scoring with a flurry of tries by Marco van Staden, Morne van Den Berg, Grant Williams, and Ethan Hooker.
The encounter started with Italy applying pressure, leading to Mostert’s ejection. Yet, South Africa’s tenacity shone through, reminiscent of their earlier game against France where they also navigated the challenges of playing with just 14 men. Coach Rassie Erasmus praised his team’s capacity to bounce back from early difficulties and perform effectively under pressure.
While Italy did manage to score in the second half with a try from Ange Capuozzo, it wasn’t enough to match South Africa’s scoring, which was capped off by late tries from Williams and Hooker to secure the win. Italy’s coach Gonzalo Quesada expressed disappointment over missed opportunities, acknowledging the critical impact of the Springboks’ effective counter-attacking strategies that dominated the matchup.
Looking forward, South Africa is set to face formidable opponents in Ireland next Saturday in Dublin, presenting another exciting challenge. Italy, meanwhile, will host Chile in Genoa, aiming to bounce back from their defeat. This match underscored South Africa’s depth and resilience, setting the stage for thrilling upcoming fixtures as the teams look to build on their performances.