Springboks Survive Italy Scare, But Bigger Battles Await

A shaky second-half performance shows South Africa still has work to do after a nervy 42-24 win over Italy

It wasn’t pretty and it certainly wasn’t perfect, but a win is a win. In their first Test match of 2025, the Springboks held off a resurgent Italian side 42-24 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. For a team with back-to-back World Cup titles under their belt, the performance was below the high standards the nation has come to expect.

Still, head coach Rassie Erasmus was quick to remind everyone: “I’d rather have this poor performance now than later in the season.” Fair point. But if the Springboks want to maintain their dominance heading into the Rugby Championship, they’ll need to tighten up, fast.

First Half: A Walk in the Park

At halftime, the Boks looked to be cruising. Leading 28-3, the crowd in Pretoria was already gearing up for a try-fest. The Springboks were dominant in the set pieces, clinical on attack, and ferocious in defence.

But as is so often the case in Test rugby, especially when you underestimate your opponent, the Italians weren’t done yet.

Second Half: Spirited Italy, Scrappy Boks

Italy, fielding a youthful side with nothing to lose, came out swinging in the second half. They outscored the Boks 21-14 in the final 40 minutes, forcing South Africa to defend for much of the last quarter.

The much-vaunted “Bomb Squad” the Boks’ powerful bench designed to finish games strongly, didn’t quite fire. Instead, it was the Italians who looked the fresher team as the match wore on.

“They manned up in the scrums, the mauling, defence and attack,” Erasmus admitted post-match. “We were exposed in several areas.”

Room for Growth Before Bigger Tests

The Boks now shift focus to the second Test in Gqeberha this coming weekend. After that, they take on Georgia, followed by the Rugby Championship, where New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina await, teams unlikely to be as forgiving as the young Azzurri were in the first half.

With several new faces in the squad, Erasmus and his coaching team will be using these Tests to build depth, but the coach made it clear: “There are no excuses.”

Fans Want Fire, Not Flatness

Reactions from fans on social media ranged from relief to concern:

“Good to see a win, but the fire wasn’t there,” said one user on X.
“Italy looked like they had more hunger in the second half. Boks need to wake up,” another posted.

The Loftus crowd did their part, roaring every tackle and cheerfully booing every Italian break, but it wasn’t enough to mask the fact that South Africa looked far from their best.

Wake-Up Call or Warning Sign?

If there’s one thing we know about the Springboks, it’s that they thrive under pressure. This wasn’t the start they dreamed of, but in true Bok fashion, they’ll likely use the uncomfortable win as a launchpad for improvement.

The second Test against Italy will be more than just a chance to clean up errors, it’s a chance to reassert the dominance that made them double World Cup champions.

Because let’s be honest: Italy had no business getting that close. The world champions know it. And they’ll be out to prove a point in Gqeberha.

{Source: The Citizen}

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