Last November, in this same city, South Africa were a man down inside a dozen minutes and still sweating with ten to play. Not this time. By the interval in Turin the contest was over, and the only thing left to settle was the size of the number.
Here is the Italy v Springboks result: Italy 7, South Africa 66, in round four of the Nations Championship at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday afternoon. RugbyPass, SA Rugby magazine, Business Day and the Associated Press, all writing after the final whistle, agree on the score, the 45-0 half-time lead and the nine Springbok try-scorers. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu accounted for 26 of the points by himself.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Result | Italy 7-66 South Africa |
| Half-time | Italy 0-45 South Africa |
| Springbok tries | Malcolm Marx 2, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Morne van den Berg, Siya Kolisi, Damian Willemse, Wilco Louw, Paul de Villiers, Ethan Hooker |
| Springbok kicks | Feinberg-Mngomezulu 9 conversions, 1 penalty |
| Italy try | Federico Ruzza (converted) |
| Yellow card | Muhamed Hasa (Italy) |
| Referee | Eoghan Cross (Ireland) |
| Venue | Allianz Stadium, Turin |
| Kick-off | 13:40 SAST |
Six tries before the oranges
Feinberg-Mngomezulu opened with an early penalty and then scored the first try himself, from long range. After that it was a procession. Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg went over from close in, and the lineout drive did much of the rest: Malcolm Marx scored twice off it, and Siya Kolisi finished another drive that, by RugbyPass’s account, came from a Feinberg-Mngomezulu 50:22. Damian Willemse added one more, and Business Day notes the bonus point was already secured inside 25 minutes.
Italy’s afternoon got worse on the half-hour, when loosehead Muhamed Hasa went to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on. The Associated Press figures sum up the half: the Azzurri gained just 60 metres, and South Africa needed to make only 25 tackles.
There was a late change before kick-off, too. Lood de Jager started at lock in place of Salmaan Moerat, who had been in line for his first Test of 2026, and Franco Mostert came onto the bench. No reason was given in the reports we read.
Italy v Springboks result: the bench takes its turn
Rassie Erasmus emptied his forward bench early in the second half, and the Bomb Squad scored almost at once. Replacement prop Wilco Louw crashed over shortly afterwards, following a Jesse Kriel run, as the Associated Press described it. Fellow replacement Paul de Villiers then scored from another maul.
Italy did get their moment. Just after the hour, lock Federico Ruzza finished in the corner for a converted try, the home side’s only points. Ethan Hooker, starting on the left wing, had the final word with the last play of the match, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s ninth conversion made it 66-7. He did not miss a kick all afternoon. The Associated Press counts his 26 points as the third-best haul of his Test career, and Business Day reports that Van den Berg was named player of the match.
Why it matters
Five points take the Springboks to 20 from four matches, the maximum, at the top of the southern group. They arrived level with New Zealand on 15, ahead only on points difference, and RugbyPass notes the All Blacks play Scotland at Murrayfield later on Saturday. How the Nations Championship works explains why every one of those bonus points could matter when the groups are settled.
It is also South Africa’s 19th win in 20 Tests against Italy, and a very different afternoon from last year’s 32-14 grind in this stadium, which our preview recalled. Italy were badly depleted: SA Rugby magazine counted 16 players out injured, captain Michele Lamaro among them.
Our view: this is ScoreLine’s opinion. It is hard to learn much from a 66-7 win against a side missing a full team’s worth of regulars, and Erasmus will know it. What stands out is the control. The set piece was ruthless, the bench added two tries rather than just fresh legs, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu ran the game like a man who has owned the number 10 jersey for years. France in Paris is a different exam entirely.
What comes next
The Springboks face France at the Stade de France on Friday 13 November, kick-off 22:10 SAST, then Ireland in Dublin on Saturday 21 November at 18:40 SAST. Finals weekend at Twickenham follows from 27 to 29 November. SA Rugby magazine says Italy host Argentina next week.