The Springboks tackle Italy this Saturday in the first match of a two-Test series. The Boks go into the clash with confidence aplenty having comprehensively disposed of France the week prior.
Victor Matfield will lead the Boks in the absence of John Smit. The veteran lock will skipper a starting side that shows as many as six changes.
Matfield is likely to enjoy a field day at lineout time and his regular lock partner, Bakkies Botha, finally rejoins him in the second row. The two are likely to wreak havoc for their visitors.
“We have focussed on a lot of technical things this week. We have taken the approach of improving a lot of things by a few percent rather than one thing by 100 percent,†said Matfield.
Tearaway flanker, Schalk Burger failed a late fitness test on a troublesome ankle and will play no part in this Test. Francois Louw will thus work in tandem with Bulls flanker Dewald Potgieter.
Intriguing Front Row Battle
Italy, led by former Bok mentor Nick Mallett, is a side that will test the Boks upfront more than anywhere else.
In tighthead prop Martin Castrogiovanni, the visitors have a fine scrummager who could ask a few uncomfortable questions of in-form Bok loosehead Gurthro Steenkamp.
“We have a very good front row and it will be stupid not to utilise our strength. That is why we will look to pressurise their front row,†said Mallet.
The clash of No 8s Pierre Spies and Italian skipper Sergio Parisse should prove another entertaining showdown.
Outwide, however, the Boks have the Italian’s number, and it shall be interesting to see how the new centre pairing of Butch James and Jean de Villiers combines.
“Butch is starting at centre but we might also make use of the opportunity to have a look at him at flyhalf during the match. I also would like to give Ruan a run at scrumhalf,†said Peter de Villiers.
Pacy Bok Wingers
Another man who is likely to pose the Italian’s heaps of trouble is last week’s two-try hero Gio Aplon. The diminutive Aplon has a devastating turn of pace and has the vision to scythe through the smallest of gaps.
The Italian back three will have their hands full keeping him and Bryan Habana at bay.
Fullback Zane Kirchner, who by his owns admissions has had a poor start to his embryonic Test career, needs to turn in a big performance on Saturday to reward his boss’s faith in him.
Despite all the personal changes (11 in total) this Bok side still boasts over 500 caps.
The Boks are expected to run the Italian ragged, but the Azzurri are a passionate nation with great fighting spirit. They cannot be written of as mere cannon fodder.
Mallett spoke glowing this week of the immense depth within Springbok rugby, but will be hoping the Boks fail to gel as a unit against his charges this Saturday.
The Boks, however, will know they will prevail if they stick to their game plan of suffocating their opponents at the tackle point and then striking outwide.
The Boks kick off against Italy on Saturday at the Puma Stadium in Witbank at 3pm live on Mnet and SuperSport 1.
SI prediction: Boks by 25.
Springboks: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Butch James, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Reserves: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Bjorn Basson.
Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Kaine Robertson, 13 Andrea Masi, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Craig Gower, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Simone Favaro, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys, 4 Valerio Bernabo, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Reserves: 16 Fabio Ongaro, 17 Lorenzo Cittadini, 18 Marco Bortolami, 19 Paul Derbyshire, 20 Simon Picone, 21 Riccardo Bocchino, 22 Gonzalo Canale.
By Grant Shub
Comments are closed.