Boks must buck up for their clash with Italy
Despite their second successive defeat on their year-end tour, the Springboks believe they are moving in the right direction.
Geographically it will come as a huge relief as they flew northeast towards Genoa for their clash with Italy, a team that has traditionally struggled to keep them in check.
Sure, Italy beat the Boks in 2016, but Saturday’s clash presents the visitors with an opportunity to deliver proof of the improvements they speak of.
The need to populate the wins column will also be uppermost in their minds after defeats to Ireland and France, the top two ranked teams in the world. They may also hold the view that had the match officials reached a different conclusion in some crucial decisions in Marseille, the result may have been different in Stade Vélodrome.
The last time they were under pressure to produce a result against Italy was at the 2019 World Cup when defeat against New Zealand in the opening match meant SA had no room for error in the remainder of the tournament.
Their brains trust with Rassie Erasmus at its head will attempt to invoke the belligerent spirit that saw the Boks beat off the challenge of the Azzurri in brutal fashion.
Their 49-3 win in Shizuoka was a turning point for the Boks in that tournament and was, if not the birth, then the coming of age of their Bomb Squad. They are again likely to bring a hard physical edge to proceedings, but they will have to make some changes to their pack. The red card he received in Marseille in their 30-26 defeat to France on Saturday means Pieter-Steph du Toit will not be part of their squad.
Jasper Wiese, who was an eleventh hour withdrawal from the side in Marseille due to concussion, is likely to return to the mix, but how the Bok resources will be deployed remains to be seen. Whatever changes they make will have to be with the aim of getting the Boks to be more clinical. They believe they are creating opportunities but are not getting full value for their output.
“We are heading in the right direction, but we are not getting the results at the moment,” flyhalf Damian Willemse reflected.
“We came close now but soon things will go our way. This result and the one last week don’t define us as a group.
“It is good to get the experience under the belt and the coaches have been backing me.
“That helps a lot, the players coming in around me. Willie [Le Roux] coming in this week and his experience was massive.”
The Boks did apply a more free-spirited approach, but not all their drive had the desired result.
“I wouldn’t say it was a plan B as we play towards our strengths,” said Willemse.
“If we have the opportunity to run we take it.”
Willemse said he thought they got the balance right.