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Italy go into their clash against South Africa in Turin in buoyant mood after an impressive opening Quilter Autumn Nations Series win over Australia.
That’s the good news. The bad news is South Africa are even more buoyant after their 14 players sparked a comeback in the last quarter to beat France at the Stade de France.
Quite what side Rassie Erasmus puts out will be instructive. In the past, Springbok coaches have used fixtures against Italy to experiment and try new faces, and it may come down to how his players have recovered from a bruising encounter in Paris.
The teams met twice earlier in the year in South Africa with the home team winning both encounters, the second 45-0. While a second Italy victory to sit along their 2016 win isn’t expected, a competitive performance most certainly is.
Here’s what ATR thinks Italy need to do to avoid another whitewash.
Keep The Scoreboard Ticking
It may be stating the bleeding obvious, but points don’t come easy against the back-to back world champions, as higher ranked sides will attest. Even going a player down won’t matter if the Boks’ win over France is any evidence.
As such, Italy have to be ruthless in their point accumulation, something their coach Gonzalo Quesada was a past master of in his playing days. They were against Australia last time out, with Paolo Garbisi landing both conversions and four penalties, while Louis Lynagh and Monty Ioane finished well for their tries.
If there is one lesson from Saturday, it is don’t be scared of the drop goal. Garbisi had the chance to pop one over late on against Australia that would have put Italy eight points ahead, but he opted for another phase. The Aussies won a turnover penalty but weren’t good enough to make it count. Attacking in waves against the Boks is tiring, and more often plays into their hands, so the ability to score quickly in threes will be very useful.
Avoid A Brawl
Even when their pack was their calling card and the likes of Sergio Parisse, Marco Bortolami, Santiago Dellape, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Martin Castrogiovanni, Andrea Lo Cicero and Salvatore Perugini were roaming the countryside, they still had problems with South Africa’s pack.
That was then, and this is now when the Springboks eight, 12 or 13, depending on their substitutes, are absolute beasts and the bedrock of everything they’ve achieved under Rassie Erasmus. To really flex, they’ve even drafted in members of the backline, with nary a misstep.
What then are Italy to do? The first thing is not to be suckered into a first carry hit up. They need to get the ball wide where there’s space. Even then they will need to double up, with someone straight onto the ball carrier such is the ferocity of the South African centres Damian De Allende and Jessie Kriel.
Centres Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex will need to match their physicality, but at the same time have the dexterity to give the likes of Lynagh, Ioane, and Ange Capuozzo the chance to run at space whenever they can.
It will then be up to the likes of backrowers Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani, and if fit, Michele Lamaro to get over in support to keep momentum going.
Let The Cannone’s Boom
Lorenzo and Niccolo Cannone were at the heart of the Italy forward effort in the win over Australia, and as impressive as their performances were, the Florentine brothers will need to step up their efforts again.
Between them number eight Lorenzo, and second row Niccolo carried 19 times and made 41 tackles between them, five of which were dominant tackles. They also grabbed a turnover apiece.
Those numbers were key to their victory, but this week there is a step up in opponents. Last week the Cannones set the tone and dragged the forward pack with them. Lorenzo also won a lineout, but that responsibility will fall more to Exter Chiefs’ Andrea Zambonin, and Cape Town-born Vintcent.
Ultimately for Italy’s pack, it is a case that if the person who did it last week, isn’t doing it on Saturday, then someone else will have to do so, otherwise it will be a very long afternoon.
Try Something New
With expectations relatively low, could be the time for Quesada to take a page out of the Rassie playbook and try something new? Something he’s been mulling over but has been reluctant to use in a match with hopes of winning. Who knows what that might be?
Centre Andre Esterhuizen’s deployment at flanker against France at week ago wasn’t the first time it had been tried, but it was the first time it was used in a major test. It has taken its time, but the experiment is paying off now.
Let’s be honest you wouldn’t blame Quesada for focusing on honing the Azzurri’s game plan and style against the fiercest of opponents. After all, Italian rugby experiments and South Africa bring to mind then Italy coach Nick Mallett’s use of flanker Mauro Bergamasco as a scrumhalf against England, and the disaster that unfolded for 40 minutes.
Against the very best you need an edge and if he has an idea tickling the back of his mind, then why not try it, rather than continuing to wonder?
