Springboks made to sweat as spirited Italy expose deficiencies in the world champions

Springboks fans mesmerised by the hammering of the Barbarians would have been disappointed by this 42-24 Springbok victory but, in truth, this tough work-out against the hardy Italians was just what the doctor ordered.

On the eve of the match, there was a telling comment from Bok captain Jesse Kriel, who said the rugby world had got it wrong in writing off Italy and predicting a 50-plus score.

This was because Italy had left some star players at home, but they were replaced by hungry graduates from the Italy Under-20 side of two years ago that conquered Europe.

The balance of the Italy team was Six Nations warriors who almost beat Ireland.

That said, the Boks were seriously under par in some areas, notably the lineout, where the visitors poached five throws. That will be a huge concern for coach Rassie Erasmus.

Still, as said earlier, this was exactly the examination Erasmus would have wanted. The Boks are in the middle of a four-match building phase before the Rugby Championship, and they want to be tested so that they can grow.

This coming week, they play Italy again, in Gqeberha, and finish this preparatory phase against Georgia in Mbombela. They have a month’s break before Australia visit for two Tests, and then the season climaxes with two away Tests against the All Blacks. That is why the Boks need these early workouts to shrug off rust and confront limitations.

After the high of pummeling the Barbarians in the rain in Cape Town, it was a clumsy opening 10 minutes from the Boks. It was hardly the emphatic start they had planned as handling errors halted momentum.

But the Italy scrum was creaking, and a penalty won was kicked to the corner, and phases later Damian de Allende nudged a grubber into the in-goal area for centre partner Jesse Kriel to gather and score.

The Italians were on the back foot, and a yellow card for flanker Lorenzo Cannone as the first quarter lapsed was a big whack into the threatened dam wall. He pulled down a maul near his line, and from the ensuing scrum, the Boks rumbled forward and scrumhalf Morne van den Berg scored the easiest of tries.

There was a penalty from Italy flyhalf Giacomo De Re on 25 minutes but the outgunned Italians were far from finished.

An opening half an hour that had failed to set pulses racing ended spectacularly when Kurt-Lee Arendse came off his blind side wing and took a pass from Pollard. He beat several defenders to score a magnificent try that had the crowd find its voice.

Five minutes from the break, another advancing scrum in the Italy danger zone saw Van den Berg dummy through a gap for his second try.

The technician in charge of the flood gates had his finger poised on “open” when the Boks seemed to have scored a minute into the second half, an effort created by fullback Damian Willemse, and strongly finished by debutant Vincent Tshituka, but the TMO ruled obstruction.

Instead, Italy flank Manuel Zuliani barged over from close quarters to put some wind into his team’s flagging sails. The visitors visibly picked up their game.

That try in the 46th minute signaled the entry of the bomb squad. Ten minutes into the half, the Boks settled down and controlled phase play saw Vincent Koch, the spitting image of cartoon character “Mr Incredible”, barrel over for a try.

But there was no sign of a white flag from Italy, and they came within inches of scoring when their left wing went over in the corner but had a foot in touch. They got it right, though, when a rolling maul propelled Pablo Dimcheff over for a try.

The Bok lineout continued to falter and possession won against the run of play saw lock Niccolo Cannone crash over. Suddenly it was 35-24 with ten minutes to go, and the Boks were looking green around the gills and not so golden.

Flanker Marco van Staden finished off a siege on the Italian line to give the score the respectability Book fans wanted, but it was hardly a convincing display by their team.

Scorers

Springboks — Tries: Jesse Kriel, Morne van den Berg (2), Kurt-Lee Arendse, Vincent Tshituka, Vincent Koch, Marco van Staden. Conversions: Handre Pollard (6).

Italy — Tries: Manuel Zuliani, Pablo Dimcheff, Niccolo Cannone.  Penalty: Giacomo De Re. Conversions: De Re (3).