Overview

• Morne van den Berg crossed for two first-half tries that laid the groundwork for South Africa’s victory
• Italy’s experimental lineup, featuring multiple debutants, rallied with 21 second-half points but could not overturn the deficit
• Jesse Kriel captained the side in Siya Kolisi’s absence while Damian Willemse made his first appearance since the 2023 World Cup
• Flanker Vincent Tshituka earned his first cap and lock Eben Etzebeth extended his appearance record as Handre Pollard managed the game with accurate goal-kicking
• The match was the first Springboks–Italy Test at Loftus Versfeld, underscoring South Africa’s enduring dominance over the Azzurri