RASSIE PLANS FOR EPIC FORWARDS CLASH
THREE years ago, the Springboks lost to Italy because of a combination of complacency and incompetence, but there is no chance of a repeat when the countries lock World Cup horns on Friday.
The Boks have to win – and beat Canada in their last Pool game – if they are to qualify for the quarter-finals, having lost to New Zealand in round one. Accordingly, coach Rassie Erasmus has declared his team on a “do-or-die footing” for the remainder of the tournament.
And the respect the coach is showing Italy is reflected in the unusual substitutes’ bench he has picked for an opposition whose chief strength is their pack of forwards.
Erasmus has picked six forwards and just two backs on the bench, an indication of where he believes the game will be won and lost. “Italy have a very good forward pack and put a lot of effort into their set phases,” Erasmus said.
“People may think it is a gamble to have only two back replacements, but we want to have plenty of ammunition for what is likely to be a major forward battle. It’s a 23-player game these days and the players who come on will be expected to contribute almost as much in game time as those who start among the front rowers.”
Erasmus has made three changes to his starting pack for the game, promoting Bongi Mbonambi for Malcolm Marx, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira for Steven Kitshoff and Lood de Jager is in for Franco Mostert.
Erasmus added that the decision to have just Herschel Jantjies and Frans Steyn on the bench was not a risk because of their versatility, as well as the ability of the starting backs to move around the backline with ease.
“We have versatile players in the backs who can cover a number of positions and we have planned for different scenarios,” he said.
“This game is going to be decided by the forwards and at the set phases, and we wanted to maximise our options in those battles.”
Erasmus warned that Italy had their eyes on this match for a few years.
“They will have planned and schemed how to bring us down once again,” said Erasmus. “This is a defining match for them and while we were focusing on the New Zealand game, they will have had their eyes on this one as the key to the quarter-finals for them.
“That means we have to be at our absolute best if we are to beat them – we are at the stage already where there are no second chances. That’s a message we have been emphasising to the players this week.”