Springboks need statement win over improving Italy to get back on track

Despite the consensus that the Springboks have been improving and are not far off the top, after tight losses against Ireland and France, they desperately need a big win over Italy on Saturday to deliver a strong statement.

It has been a complete mixed bag from the Boks this year, with a current win ratio of just over 50% after winning six games and losing five of their 11 internationals so far.

ALSO READ: Italy have shown they are a force at home – Bok boss Nienaber

Their last two losses came against the top two ranked sides in world rugby on their home turf, however it is still not good enough for a team that is wanting to retain their world cup title in France next year.

South African Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus believes that the team has shown growth and that they are moving in the right direction ahead of next year’s showpiece event.

“South African’s love winning, we fully take it on the chin when we lose, and we understand when people get upset,” said Erasmus.

“Losing two games in a row is not great. But I think the answers that we got from some players, and knowing what we can do in our pool game against the Irish (at the World Cup), and either the All Blacks or France if we can get out of our pool.

“The All Blacks we play regularly and France we just played in a cauldron which was really intimidating and the boys really handled themselves well. In our supporters view and our view losing is bad, but I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Results-driven game

However rugby is a results-driven game in the end, and when you look at the Boks results this year, they have just not been good enough, while they’ve also lacked consistency.

The All Blacks, by comparison, went through a torrid time of it at the end of last year and during their early season run this year, which saw them losing five out of six games at a stage, with coach Ian Foster under massive pressure.

Since then however they have won seven of their last eight games, claimed the Rugby Championship title, and racked up monster wins of 53-3 over Argentina, 40-14 over Australia, and 53-23 over Wales, showing that despite their struggles they are still not a team to be underestimated.

The Boks in recent times just haven’t had the capacity to pick up statement wins like that, which is something they will need to try and do against Italy.

Key to that will be to try go all in and deploy the running game that they used against France, which they managed to get quite a bit of success from, and which they should be able to gain better rewards against a team like Italy.

“We always try and develop our game plan and in the end you can only play to what the opposition gives you. We thought it was a good strategy against France and there were some opportunities for us in the front line and we took them,” said coach Jacques Nienaber about the running game plan.

“Against Italy we will have to see if that will work. They are a well organised side and we will have to see where they give us space and hopefully if the weather plays its part we can have a nice game again.”