Italy eye defensive step up after Wallaby win as Boks await in Turin

Italy will aim to disrupt the Springboks’ attacking rhythm, particularly at the breakdown, to prevent the world champions from building momentum in their Test on Saturday in Turin.

Following an impressive victory over Australia this past weekend, the Azzurri are gearing up for a rematch with South Africa — a side they faced earlier this year in Pretoria and Gqeberha. While the Boks won both encounters, Italy fielded a weakened squad on those occasions.

This time, however, they will be at full strength for their home clash at the Allianz Stadium.

One of Italy’s standout performers against the Wallabies was replacement lock Federico Ruzza. His blend of physicality and skill caused plenty of problems for the Australian defence, while he also excelled in the lineouts and on defence when he took the field.

Ruzza, capped 65 times, said on Monday that the team was pleased with their performance against Australia, but they are under no illusions about the challenge that awaits them.

“It was a solid performance in defence; however, we can still do a little more when it comes to disrupting the opposition’s play,” said Ruzza.

“We defended well against Australia for long periods and were really clinical, but we could’ve broken up their rhythm more. That’s an area we want to improve. It was a quality match, but it’s only right to want to be better in every aspect.”

Should he be selected to face the Boks, Ruzza is relishing the challenge of taking on one of world rugby’s most physical packs.

He wasn’t part of the Italy squad that toured South Africa earlier this year, but believes that experience has given the Azzurri a good indication of what to expect. However, he cautioned that the Springboks are a side that constantly evolves — and Italy will need to be ready for anything.

“We certainly put in two top-level performances against them, one maybe more than the other, but we know what we can do and how to do it. Let’s say we know our opponents well — but we also know they’re a team that changes and adds new dimensions to their game.

“Everyone talks about the physicality and consistency of the Springboks, but they’ve added unpredictability to that. They constantly adapt, and we need to take that next step.”