Springboks sweat for win against spirited Italy

SPRINGBOKS fans mesmerised by the hammering of the Barbarians would have been disappointed by the 42-24 Bok victory over Italy in Pretoria yesterday, but in truth, this tough workout against the hardy Italians was just what the doctor ordered.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

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.