07/05/25 02:11:00
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07/05 14:10 CDT Springboks hold off Italy fightback by 42-24 at Loftus
Springboks hold off Italy fightback by 42-24 at Loftus
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) --- The blowout expected from world champion South
Africa didn't eventuate as it scratched out a 42-24 win over Italy at Loftus
Versfeld on Saturday.
The Springboks led 28-3 at halftime, dominating every facet. But even the ?bomb
squad,' which entered to a roar of acclaim, could not press home the advantage
into a scoreline their fans are used to against the Azzurri.
The depleted Italians stunned with a comeback that unleashed three converted
tries with two more tries ruled out. They got within 11 points of South Africa
until Marco van Staden crashed over with seven minutes to go.
Even that didn't temper Italy's fire, with the visitor attacking in South
Africa's 22 at fulltime.
The six-tries victory was "disappointing" for Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus,
who added it will make him reconsider the pre-planned team for the second Italy
test in Gqberha next weekend.
"We're frustrated," Erasmus said. "I didn't pick up in the week that this was
the way we were going to perform but it's all fixable.
"The makeup of the team may change to handle the physicality that Italy threw
at us. You'd think a team that made 120 tackles in the first half would break
in the second half.
"But it's a team that's fit and passionate and we have to make sure that the
team that we put out next week is not just a team that can go 50 or 60 minutes,
it must be a team that can go 80 minutes."
Injuries hampered Italy buildup
The Springboks averaged 49 points in their last three matches against Italy and
set themselves up for another rout. They largely retained the strong side which
whipped the Barbarians 54-7 last weekend. The Boks reserves bench, alone, had
more caps than Italy's entire matchday 23.
Italy struggled to find 23 fit players. The warmup win over Namibia cost them
two players, and a fifth player went home early during the past week when seven
more frontline players were hurt in training.
Coach Gonzalo Quesada reluctantly picked a 6-2 forwards-heavy bench to combat
the Springboks ?bomb squad,' gave international debuts to four players
including both hookers, and named scrumhalf Alessandro Fusco as the flyhalf
backup if Giacomo Da Re was injured.
It looked as if it was going to script as South Africa reached 28-3 at halftime
on the back of forward power.
New captain Jesse Kriel was the first try-scorer after four minutes, though he
appeared to be in front of the kicker, his midfield partner center Damian de
Allende.
Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg scored twice off the back of the scrum, one a
pushover try between the posts, and winger Kurt-Lee Arendse ran great lines to
another try.
By halftime, Italy had made 123 exhausting tackles.
But then it made South Africa start really working.
Italy's first try, to flanker Manuel Zuliani, prompted the ?bomb squad'
introduction of all five tight forwards. One of them, Vincent Koch, scored
next. And with Handre Pollard not missing off the tee, it was 35-10.
But South Africa then needed a try-saving tackle by wing Cheslin Kolbe to stop
Simone Gesi, whereupon the Italian forwards used a rolling maul to get over
Pablo Dimcheff, whose test debut was only a minute old.
Lock Niccolo Lorenzo, inspiring in his first test as captain, had seen his
younger brother Lorenzo taken off on a stretcher. Niccolo got Italy's third try
by smashing Kolbe and squashing Pollard between the posts.
The late Van Staden try ensured South Africa's win, but the margin was the
smallest at home against Italy in 15 years.
"Luckily," Erasmus said, "we don't have any injuries, just a few bruised egos."
___
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