Springboks hold off Italy 42-24 at Loftus
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Springboks hold off Italy 42-24 at Loftus
World champion South Africa scratched out a 42-24 win over Italy at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The Springboks led 28-3 at halftime, dominating every facet. But even the ‘bomb squad,’ which entered to a roar of acclaim, could not press home the advantage into a scoreline their fans are used to against the Azzurri. Italy struggled to find 23 fit players to find a warm-up win over Namibia, and a fifth player went home during the week. South Africa’s 22 at fulltime averaged 22 points. Italy’s Marco van Staden crashed over seven points with the Italy’s first attack in seven minutes. The Boks averaged 49 points in their last three matches against Italy and set themselves up for another rout. They retained the largely retained the strong side which whipped the Barbarians 54-7 last weekend. They got within 11 points of Italy with two minutes to go with two converted tries. The match was played in front of a crowd of more than 30,000.
Italy’s Andrea Zambonin, top, left, wins a line out against South Africa’s Vincent Tshituka, right, during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa’s Morne van den Berg, left, kicks the ball as Italy’s Andrea Zambonin tries to block the ball during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa’s Vincent Tshituka, left, passes the ball during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa’s Damian Willemse, bottom right, vies for the ball with Italy’s Tommaso Menoncello, top right, during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa’s Damian Willemse, bottom right, vies for the ball with Italy’s Tommaso Menoncello, top right, during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa’s Damian Willemse, left, passes the ball as his being tackled during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Italy’s Andrea Zambonin, top, left, wins a line out against South Africa’s Vincent Tshituka, right, during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa’s Morne van den Berg, left, kicks the ball as Italy’s Andrea Zambonin tries to block the ball during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa’s Vincent Tshituka, left, passes the ball during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa’s Damian Willemse, bottom right, vies for the ball with Italy’s Tommaso Menoncello, top right, during a rugby championship test match between South Africa and Italy, at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — The blowout expected from world champion South Africa didn’t eventuate as it scratched out a 42-24 win over Italy at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The Springboks led 28-3 at halftime, dominating every facet. But even the ‘bomb squad,’ which entered to a roar of acclaim, could not press home the advantage into a scoreline their fans are used to against the Azzurri.
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The depleted Italians stunned with a comeback that unleashed three converted tries with two more tries ruled out. They got within 11 points of South Africa until Marco van Staden crashed over with seven minutes to go.
Even that didn’t temper Italy’s fire, with the visitor attacking in South Africa’s 22 at fulltime.
The Springboks averaged 49 points in their last three matches against Italy and set themselves up for another rout. They largely retained the strong side which whipped the Barbarians 54-7 last weekend. The Boks bench, alone, had more caps than Italy’s entire matchday 23.
Italy struggled to find 23 fit players. The warmup win over Namibia cost them two players, and a fifth player went home early during the past week when seven more frontline players were hurt in training.
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Coach Gonzalo Quesada reluctantly picked a 6-2 forwards-heavy bench to combat the Springboks bomb squad, gave international debuts to four players including both hookers, and named scrumhalf Alessandro Fusco as the flyhalf backup if Giacomo Da Re was injured.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/article/springboks-hold-off-italy-42-181545514.html