Should Siya Kolisi not have been given a breather against Italy?

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus is known for his bold selection calls, but selecting captain Siya Kolisi to start against Italy in their Test on Saturday seems rather conservative.

Of course Kolisi didn’t play the second half last week against France, as he had to be whipped off as lock Lood de Jager was red-carded and the forwards had to be shifted around.

Still, it was an incredible match for Kolisi to play any part of in his 100th match for his country. The Springboks mounted a comeback for the ages to emerge victorious at the Stade de France, even though Kolisi watched the second half from the sidelines.

Perhaps that played a part in his selection for Saturday’s clash against Italy, as Kolisi may have had a word in Erasmus’s ear about making up for the ‘lost time’ against France.

Springboks vs Italy: Heavy Favourites Despite Missing Key Players

The Springboks will be heavy favourites to win by a large margin, even though they have selected a side missing a number of their first-choice players.

In fact, eight players starting for the Springboks have played less than 10 Test for South Africa.

However, as the reigning Rugby World Cup champions from 2019 and 2023 and the last two Rugby Championship editions, it’s difficult to see Italy mounting any kind of serious challenge to the Springboks.

The Springboks take on Italy in Turin on Saturday, in a 2.40pm kick-off SA time. It will also be the first time the sides clash in Turin.

@Michael_Sherman

IOL Sport

* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.

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