Boks pass Italy test, focus moves to quarterfinal berth

The Boks still have to beat rugby minnows Canada to confirm their place in the last eight of RWC 2019. And even if South Africa loses to Canada, Italy would need to beat the All Blacks to advance at South Africa’s expense. No sane bookmaker will give odds on either of those results.

In what was essentially a knockout match to decide the runner up in Pool B, the Boks scored seven tries in Shizuoka against an Italian team that only turned up to spoil and niggle.

Italy offered nothing in the way of constructive rugby and were lucky to finish the game with only 14 men.

Prop Andrea Lovotti was red-carded early in the second half for a spear tackle on Bok No 8 Duane Vermeulen. But they should have had two reds.

In an otherwise superb game by referee Wayne Barnes this decision was perhaps the only one he got wrong on the night. Barnes could have red-carded Nicola Quaglio, who assisted Lovotti in up-ending Vermeulen and driving him head first into the turf.

Each prop took a leg and speared the Bok bruiser dangerously and how Barnes decided one was more culpable than the other is a mystery. Thankfully, a stunned Vermeulen played on after receiving treatment.

Earlier matters were complicated when the match was reduced to uncontested scrums by the half hour, as Italy lost both tighthead props to injury.

Starting tighthead Simone Ferrari lasted one scrum before his hamstring went and replacement Marco Riccioni made it through two scrums before heading for a Head Injury Assessment (HIA). He did not return.

In one of those complex rulings designed for player safety, Barnes could not allow scrums to continue as normal because the Azzurri had no more specialist tightheads to call on.

The set piece was reduced to “uncontested scrums” robbing the Boks of a massive advantage, if the evidence of the first few contested scrums was anything to go on.

Italy were under the pump in the scrum and they certainly benefited more from the static set piece than the Boks.

Even so, the Boks were far too good for this Italian side to trouble them despite one of their major weapons being taken away.

In open play the Boks were brutal in contact when in possession, winning the collisions and driving Italy back continuously. On defence they were equally ferocious as Italian ball carriers went from travelling forwards and into reverse in the blink of an eye.

Defence, the old adage goes, wins World Cups. The Boks have only conceded two tries in three games at this tournament. The All Blacks scored both.

Without the ball the Springboks looked comfortable, but with it, they were erratic.

Only some poor options and untidy finishing stopped South Africa piling on more points than they did. Often the last pass went astray, or a player took a bad option.

The lack of sharpness and awareness will worry coach Rassie Erasmus as their assignments become tougher in the weeks to come.

But it wasn’t easy to find rhythm in a stop-start match, which felt like an Italian player was injured at almost every breakdown. So keeping a clean sheet and scoring so many tries in that context, can’t be sniffed at.

The Bok lineout purred beautifully with hooker Bongi Mbonambi enjoying a strong performance. He scored, what is starting to feel like an obligatory try, from the back of a rolling maul in the 27^th minute.

Lock Lood de Jager justified his selection with a towering performance in the lineout and in general play.

If second row partner Eben Etzebeth is worried about the ongoing furore due to his alleged poor behaviour in a nightclub fracas just before the tournament started, he certainly didn’t show it on the field.

This was the giant lock’s best performance of the campaign. He carried strongly and was devastating at stopping any Italian momentum when they tried to start rolling mauls.

Lively wing Cheslin Kolbe continued his sparkling form, scoring two tries while harassing Italian defenders mercilessly with almost every touch of the ball.

The only negative for Kolbe is that in the dying embers of the game he rolled his left ankle when tackled and had to hobble from the field.

There will be an anxious 48 hours wait as the Bok medical staff assess the injury. Kolbe is the heartbeat of the team despite his diminutive frame.

He is always central to everything good the Boks do. Contemplating playing the remainder of the tournament without him is frightening.

Erasmus will also be scratching his head over the form of halfbacks Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard, who were both below their best.

Pollard produced some good touches, such as a chip kick for Kolbe to run on to for his second try, but his overall performance was underwhelming.

Dallying in his 22-metre area he was caught in possession and from the ensuing turnover Italy came close to scoring early in the match.

Pollard went past 400 Test points on the night and kicked six from nine at goal, but he is not playing with authority, especially behind a pack that is giving him ample quality ball.

De Klerk too is erratic and sprayed some loose passes that stunted momentum at key moments.

Overall though, it was a clinical performance in tense match where the result was paramount and the performance secondary.

Tougher assignments are on the horizon but at least the Boks are still in the battle for the Webb Ellis Cup. That is all that matters at this stage.

South Africa – Tries: Cheslin Kolbe (2), Bongi Mbonambi, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, RG Snyman, Malcolm Marx. Conversions: Handre Pollard (4). Penalties: Pollard (2).
Italy – Penalty: Tommaso Allan. DM