Springboks can’t underestimate Italy as they try to avoid tour whitewash

The Springboks may have had to change a few plans as they face an important must-win match against Italy in Genoa over the coming weekend.

After two very tight defeats over the past two weekends against the top two teams in world rugby, Ireland and France, the Boks are now in danger of going winless on their end-of-year-tour.

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That is due to the recent renaissance in Italian rugby, with them having won five of their last six internationals, including picking up two massive scalps in Wales and Australia.

After losing their first four games in the Six Nations during February and March this year, Italy then upset the odds to claim a famous win over Wales, ending a 36-match and seven year losing streak in the competition.

They followed that up with mid-year wins over Portugal and Romania, before slipping up against Georgia.

They then started the November internationals with a thumping 47-19 win over Samoa, before following that up with a first ever win over Australia, 28-27, and they will head into this weekend’s clash against the Boks with plenty of confidence.

The Boks will be desperate to pick up a win over Italy on Saturday, as their final match of their end-of-year-tour against England at Twickenham next weekend, falls outside of the international window, which means their French and English based players will be unavailable for the game.

The Boks have only lost to Italy once in their history, a 20-18 defeat in Florence back in 2016, which was also the year that they went winless on their end-of-year-tour, drawing with the BaaBaas, while suffering losses against England and Wales.

Vitally important game

They will not want to repeat that feat a year out from the world cup, making the Italian match vitally important for them to get a much needed win, and build some momentum into the players who will be available for the England clash.

The Boks would always have been targeting the Italy match to give a number of their extended squad members a run, however they may now need to stick as close to their strongest side as possible, to try and give themselves the best chance of emerging with a win.

They are expected to have an enforced change or two, with Pieter-Steph du Toit set to know his fate on Tuesday when he attends a world rugby disciplinary hearing after he picked up a red card in the Boks loss against France.

Cheslin Kolbe is also a slight doubt after being concussed in the same match, while Joseph Dweba has been called up to the Bok squad on standby, which could mean that Bongi Mbonambi or Malcolm Marx is a doubt for the game.

Salmaan Moerat is also expected to get a start in the match, after he was part of the Boks Monday press conference, and he could come in for Eben Etzebeth who is due a deserved rest, or Franco Mostert could shift to flank in place of Du Toit, with Moerat in at five.