South Africa v Italy, Witbank, June 19
Springboks out to keep momentum rolling
Scrum.com
June 17, 2010
South Africa fly-half Morne Steyn punts the ball during training at Warren Township High School, Witbank, South Africa, June 15, 2010
Morne Steyn could prove to be the Springboks' trump card © Getty Images
Enlarge

South Africa will continue their preparations for the defence of their Tri-Nations crown against Italy on Saturday and they are beginning to look like an ominous proposition.

Last season they went in to the southern hemisphere's elite tournament battle-hardened by a brutal series win over the British & Irish Lions and Peter de Villiers' men have hardly shirked in their work so far this season. Wales fell first in Cardiff before France were swept aside with ease last weekend in Cape Town.

Now, in the unfamiliar surroundings of Witbank, former Springbok coach Nick Mallett brings his Italian side to South Africa for the first of a two-Test series. While the Fifa World Cup continues to dominate hearts and minds the Springboks have branched out from their traditional powerbases, with the second Test slated for East London. The last meeting between the sides, last November, brought a comfortable if unspectacular Springbok win, which realistically is the most the tourists can hope for.

The Six Nations was punctuated by a single win, over Scotland, and the Wooden Spoon for the Azzurri and they will be allowed precious little time to settle by their hosts, who despite making 11 changes to the matchday 22 are in good shape.

Bulls lock Victor Matfield skippers the side in the absence of John Smit, who has a hamstring strain, and is reunited in the second-row with Bakkies Botha following the decision to rest Danie Rossouw.

Italy, as always, will provide the sternest test of the Springboks' credentials at the scrum, where Salvatore Perugini, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Martin Castrogiovanni are a formidable unit. De Villiers has called on Chiliboy Ralepelle to replace Smit at hooker, with Gurthro Steenkamp employed alongside Sharks tight-head Jannie du Plessis.

Along with the scrummaging prowess, the main boost for the tourists comes with the return of skipper and No.8 Sergio Parisse. One of the world's great players, his craft and power was sorely missed during the Six Nations as he recovered from a reconstruction of his anterior cruciate ligament. The Stade back-rower is short on game-time and will be tested to the limit by Pierre Spies, who is named in the South African loose trio along with Bulls youngster Dewald Potgieter and Stormers flank Francois Louw, a late call-up for the injured Schalk Burger.

In midfield, Mario Pratichetti must face up to the physical threat posed by Bath's Butch James, back in an international jersey for the first time since 2008, and Stormers-bound midfielder Jean de Villiers. Andrea Masi has secured the nod at outside centre in place of Clermont's Gonzalo Canale, who must make do with a place on the bench.

Craig Gower's education as an international fly-half continues and he will be going up against Morne Steyn, who has blossomed from points machine to midfield general in recent Tests. His passing game was watertight against France and Italy must be prepared to soak up plenty of pressure from out wide, where Bryan Habana and Gio Aplon lurk.

South Africa: Z Kirchner (Bulls); G Aplon (Stormers), J de Villiers (Western Province), B James (Bath), B Habana (Stormers); M Steyn (Bulls), R Januarie (Stormers); G Steenkamp (Bulls), C Ralepelle (Bulls), J du Plessis (Sharks), B Botha (Bulls), V Matfield (Bulls, capt), F Louw (Stormers), D Potgieter (Bulls), P Spies (Bulls)

Replacements: B Maku (Bulls), CJ van der Linde (Free State Cheetahs), A Hargreaves (Sharks), R Kankowski (Sharks), R Pienaar (Sharks), J de Jongh (Stormers), B Basson (Cheetahs)

Italy: L McLean (Benetton Treviso), K Robertson (Viadana), A Masi (Racing Metro), M Pratichetti (Viadana), M Bergamasco (Racing Metro), C Gower (Bayonne), T Tebaldi (Banca Monte Parma), S Perugini (Bayonne), L Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso), M Castrogiovanni (Leicester), V Bernabo (Roma), Q Geldenhuys (Viadana), S Favaro (Banca Monte Parma), A Zanni (Benetton Treviso), S Parisse (Stade Francais, capt),

Replacements: F Ongaro (Saracens), L Cittadini (Benetton Treviso), M Bortolami (Gloucester), P Derbyshire (Padova), S Picone (Benetton Treviso), R Bocchino (Rovigo), G Canale (Clermont Auvergne)

Referee: Keith Brown (New Zealand)

Assistant Referees: Andrew Small (Eng), David Changleng (Sco)
TMO: Geoff Hughes (Eng)

© Scrum.com

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.