By Lucky Maree
Three minutes gone, the Boks lead by five. A great start.
Kurt-Lee Arendse has a bit of work to do but gets the try in the left corner after a good move across the full width of the field.
It’s a two-point game as Italy brings them within two points but Kolbe restores the five point lead – only until fullback Ange Capuozzo scores a try in the corner and the difficult conversion by Tommaso Allan gives the Italians a two point lead. Italy’s New Zealander coach Kieran Crowley’s charges are here to play.
I won’t lie to you – with Italy leading by five points after 20 minutes, and the Springboks making mistakes, it’s becoming more and more difficult to hold on to the prediction of “Springboks by a substantial margin”.
Kolbe brings them back to within two points and Bongi Mbonambi’s powerful try (converted by Kolbe) once again gives South Africa a five point lead.
While the play before the end of the first half is no longer spectacular, the Boks are applying the sort of pressure that will sooner or later result in points.
The pessimism of 20 minutes ago has all but disappeared.
At the beginning of the second half, Italy seem to be ready to take on the Springboks in the forwards and they are rewarded with a penalty.
Then Kolbe does what Kolbe does. He takes the ball from the kick-off and scores without a hand being laid on him. But the try comes at a price – Kolbe leaves the field with a damaged hamstring.
Replacement Manie Libbok starts a movement that leads to Arendse’s second try and Libbok nails the difficult conversion. When the “bomb squad” comes on the physical power becomes more and more decisive and that eventually results in a pushover try awarded to Malcolm Marx. Libbok misses the left hand upright by miles.
With 15 minutes to go Italy score a well-deserved try in front of an enthusiastic Genoa crowd – but then they simply become cannon fodder for a rampant pack of Bok forwards.
Damian Willemse scores a converted try and just a few minutes later Evan Roos does good work to win a turnover that leads to a penalty, a line out, and a try for Cobus Reinach.
“Springboks by a substantial margin?” You could say that.
A great match and an excellent win – now we wait for England.
Italy:
Tries: Ange Capuozzo, Lorenzo Cannone
Conversions: One
Penalties: Three
Cards:
South Africa:
Tries: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Bongi Mbonambi, Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Kwagga Smith, Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Damian Willemse, Cobus Reinach
Conversions: Six
Penalties: Two
Cards:
Italy 21-63 South Africa
Pictured above: Springboks
Image source: @AutumNationsSeries
