Boks rally late to overcome Azzurri
South Africa produced a late score to ease past Italy, winning 22-6 at Stadio Euganeo, in Padua, on Saturday.
The best part of this game may well have been before the first whistle - the packed Stadio Euganeo, the cheerful crowd, the anthems, the honour of silence for the late Gawie Visagie, the sunshine and the anticipation of a Test to come.
After that it was a boring plod of a game, making the last whistle the best of them all. Playing as slowly as that will not produce exciting rugby. Running as perfunctorily as that will produce nothing, and then there were the long interruptions to attend to players - all Italian - who had some physical ailments, Leonardo Ghiraldini the most frequent patient.
Again the match made the point of the importance of scrumhalf play to a team's performance. Arriving late, standing up, taking steps and then passing turn any hope of quick ball into achingly slow ball. After South Africa had set up a brilliant attack and got quick ball from a tackle. Cobus Reinach arrived, stood up and took five (5) steps before passing. He was perhaps Italy's best defender. On one occasion he took a tap kick and then grubbered the ball into an opponent.
That said, Reinach had little protection. Italians seemed able to harass him, even knocking the ball from his hand on one occasion and on another - incredible to relate - kicking it from his grasp.
That said, Reinach was not the only one to kill speed with the ball. Twice the Springboks won turnovers and twice Oupa Mohoje was the first receiver and charge straight into unprofitable contact.
There were sanctions for not allowing a fair contest - but not, it seems, for not allowing a fair contest at scrums and even some line-outs.
But there is no point in wailing like Jeremiah. The match is over, there were a few good moments, and the better side won. Italy., whose defence was heroic, for the second week in a row failed to score a try. In fact they did not look like scoring a try.
The scumming, where South Africa had fears of revealing an Achilles' heel, was firmer than feared. South Africa were penalised twice, Italy once and Italy won a tighthead off the last scrum of the match.
Italy won the toss and Patrick Lambie kicked off for South Africa. Italy had the early running of the match, tackling aggressively, winning possession and dominating territory, and when Coenie Oosthuizen was penalised at a scrum flyhalf Kelly Haimona goaled. 3-0 after 11 minutes.
This spurred the Springboks into attacking as Jean de Villiers forged ahead from a line-out and Duane Vermeulen and Eben Etzebeth were prominent. The Italians defended firmly but were penalised for an offside and Lambie goaled. 3-3 after 15 minutes.
Italy were penalised and Lambie kicked out magnificently, just five metres from the goal-line. But Italy won the throw but it was a wasted victory for the slapped it back over the shallow dead-ball line to concede a five-metre scrum from which the Springboks bashed away and Oosthuizen came through on a good angle. Tackled just short he reached out and placed the ball for a try well, in from touch. 8-3 after 22 minutes.
The Springboks had the better of the rest of the half and could well have scored. In fact JP Pietersen was easily over but had knocked on in reaching for a long, dipping pass from Lambie. A try was in the offing when Johan Goosen came in from fullback and went on a long run but it was Italy who scored. Pietersen kicked a penalty directly into touch from just outside his 22 and the Springboks were penalised at a ruck after the line-out. Haimona, who was twice short with long-range penalty attempts, goaled and the players went off for their half-time break with the Springboks leading 8-6.
Early in the second half Goosen broke out of defence and down the left but Eduardo Gori saved when Lambie chipped.
Italy had their best chance to score a try when Andrea Masi broke between Oosthuizen and Reinach and gave to Parisse but South Africa easily dissipated the threat.
With 20 or so minutes to go, South Africa made changes. One of them was new cap Nizaam Carr for Mohoje. Willie le Roux came in at fullback and Handré Pollard came on from Lambie, who had been more aggressive in the second half, and there were other changes till the bench was empties with the entry of Julian Redelinghuys.
The changes had the effect of livening up the match. Le Roux started it when he nearly got clean through and then Carr beat two defenders before swinging a pass to Reinach who raced over for the try. 15-6 after 59 minutes.
Right at the end Vermeulen won a turnover on the Springbok right and they went left. Le Roux put Pollard through a gap with a short pass and the flyhalf raced downfield, sending a long and perfect pass to Bryan Habana who grateful received the rare gift and hared away for his 57th Test try. Pollard converted and the final whistle went.
Man of the Match: The most obvious choices are two Italians and three South Africans - Sergio Parisse and Quinton Geldenhuys of Italy and Duane Vermeulen and Marcell Coetzee of South Africa. Willie le Roux was possibly not on long enough but our Man of the Match was there for 80 minutes - winning line-outs, making tackles, lunging forward and doing is work in scrums and rucks - Eben Etzebeth. He is back.
Moment of the Match: Handré Pollard's pass for Bryan Habana's try.
Villain of the match: All those slow stoppages.
The scorers:
For Italy:
Pens: Haimona 2
For South Africa:
Tries: Oosthuizen, Reinach, Habana
Cons: Pollard 2
Pen: Lambie
Teams
Italy: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Luke McLean, 10 Kelly Haimona, 9 Eduardo Gori, 8 Sergio Parisse (captain), 7 Samuela Vunisa, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Joshua Furno, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Matias Aguero.
Replacements: 16 Andrea Manici, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Marco Bortolami, 20 Francesco Minto, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Luciano Orquera, 23 Giulio Toniolatti.
South Africa: 15 Johan Goosen, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Teboho Mohoje, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Lodewyk de Jager, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Willie le Roux.
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gauzère (France), Alexandre Ruiz (France)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)