The Springboks are set to battle Italy in their upcoming Nations Championship encounter at Turin's Allianz Stadium on Saturday, 7 November.
Historically, South Africa has dominated Italy, triumphing in 18 of their 19 meetings over the past three decades since their first clash in Rome. Notably, the Springboks' only loss came during a match in Florence on 19 November 2016. Under the leadership of Adriaan Strauss and coaching of Allister Coetzee, a mostly second-tier team fell 20-18.
The squad on that day had experienced players like Willie le Roux and Bryan Habana, accumulating 510 caps in the starting lineup with 84 additional caps available on the bench. Despite their efforts, South Africa managed only two tries, scored by Habana and Damian de Allende, with Pat Lambie and Elton Jantjies contributing with kicks.
As they prepare for their next face-off, South Africa maintains the top position in the World Rugby rankings, with Italy ranked 11th. A loss against Italy could potentially jeopardize their standing if New Zealand prevails over Scotland later that day.
Currently, the Springboks are neck and neck with New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere standings, both securing maximum points from three matches. Details of the Springbok team and match officials set for the upcoming clash have been announced.
