South Africa 42 - 24 Italy

Full time

05 Jul 2025

International Friendlies

Stage: Regular Season Round 1

Loftus Versfeld

South Africa vs Italy head to head

🎉 4

👏 5

💩 1

🔥 4

😭 2

South Africa secured a commanding 42-24 victory over Italy in an international friendly at Loftus Versfeld. Jesse Kriel opened the scoring with a try in the 10th minute, quickly followed by a conversion from Pollard. Italy's Lorenzo Cannone received a yellow card, which contributed to South Africa's dominance as they added three more tries in the first half, including a brace from Morne van den Berg. Italy fought back with a try from Manuel Zuliani just after halftime, but South Africa responded with a powerful performance, highlighted by a try from Vincent Koch. The game saw Italy's Niccolo Cannone scoring late, but South Africa's relentless attack, led by Pollard’s accurate kicking, proved too much. Key substitutions did not diminish South Africa's momentum as they maintained control throughout the match. Ultimately, South Africa's depth and skill were evident in their comprehensive victory.

Broadcasters

Where to watch in: Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom

Weather

Temperature: 16.3°C (Feels like 15.1°C) Condition: Clear Wind: 7.4 km/h, gusting to 16.8 km/h Humidity: 26% Cloud Cover: 0%

Highlights

Events

Kickoff
10'

Try

Jesse Kriel · South Africa

5 - 0
11'

Conversion

Handre Pollard · South Africa

7 - 0
17'

Substitution

Muhamed Hasa on for Simone Ferrari · Italy
22'

Yellow Card

Lorenzo Cannone · Italy
22'

Try

Morne van den Berg · South Africa

12 - 0
22'

Conversion

Handre Pollard · South Africa

14 - 0
27'

Penalty

Giacomo Da Re · Italy

14 - 3
29'

Try

Kurt-Lee Arendse · South Africa

19 - 3
30'

Conversion

Handre Pollard · South Africa

21 - 3
30'

Substitution

Simone Ferrari on for Muhamed Hasa · Italy
32'

Yellow Card Complete

Lorenzo Cannone · Italy
36'

Try

Morne van den Berg · South Africa

26 - 3
37'

Conversion

Handre Pollard · South Africa

28 - 3
Halftime 28 - 3
Second Half
45'

Try

Manuel Zuliani · Italy

28 - 8
46'

Conversion

Giacomo Da Re · Italy

28 - 10
47'

Substitution

Jan-Hendrik Wessels on for Ox Nche · South Africa
47'

Substitution

Bongi Mbonambi on for Malcolm Marx · South Africa
47'

Substitution

Vincent Koch on for Wilco Louw · South Africa
47'

Substitution

RG Snyman on for Eben Etzebeth · South Africa
47'

Substitution

Franco Mostert on for Lood de Jager · South Africa
48'

Substitution

Ross Vintcent on for Lorenzo Cannone · Italy
54'

Substitution

Faf de Klerk on for Morne van den Berg · South Africa
54'

Substitution

Mirco Spagnolo on for Danilo Fischetti · Italy
54'

Substitution

Kwagga Smith on for Jasper Wiese · South Africa
54'

Substitution

Muhamed Hasa on for Simone Ferrari · Italy
54'

Substitution

Alessandro Garbisi on for Alessandro Fusco · Italy
56'

Try

Vincent Koch · South Africa

33 - 10
57'

Conversion

Handre Pollard · South Africa

35 - 10
58'

Substitution

David Odiase on for Manuel Zuliani · Italy
61'

Substitution

Pablo Dimcheff on for Tommaso Di Bartolomeo · Italy
61'

Substitution

Matteo Canali on for Andrea Zambonin · Italy
62'

Try

Pablo Dimcheff · Italy

35 - 15
62'

Substitution

Willie Le Roux on for Damian de Allende · South Africa
63'

Conversion

Giacomo Da Re · Italy

35 - 17
67'

Try

Niccolo Cannone · Italy

35 - 22
68'

Conversion

Giacomo Da Re · Italy

35 - 24
73'

Try

Marco van Staden · South Africa

42 - 24
73'

Yellow Card

Alessandro Izekor · Italy
73'

Conversion

Handre Pollard · South Africa

37 - 24
76'

Substitution

Giulio Bertaccini on for Marco Zanon · Italy
Fulltime 42 - 24

Player ratings

South Africa

15 Damian Willemse 8.4
14 Cheslin Kolbe 6.8
13 Jesse Kriel 7.5
12 Damian de Allende 7.0
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse 8.6
10 Handre Pollard 6.9
9 Morne van den Berg 8.0
1 Ox Nche 6.5
2 Malcolm Marx 7.9
3 Wilco Louw 6.7
4 Eben Etzebeth 6.7
5 Lood de Jager 7.2
6 Marco van Staden 7.3
7 Vincent Tshituka 6.6
8 Jasper Wiese 7.1
16 Bongi Mbonambi 6.8
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels 6.2
18 Vincent Koch 7.1
19 RG Snyman 7.3
20 Franco Mostert 6.5
21 Kwagga Smith 6.5
22 Faf de Klerk 6.9
23 Willie Le Roux 6.4

Italy

15 Jacopo Trulla 5.7
14 Louis Lynagh 7.1
13 Tommaso Menoncello 6.6
12 Marco Zanon 6.0
11 Simone Gesi 5.1
10 Giacomo Da Re 6.1
9 Alessandro Fusco 5.9
1 Danilo Fischetti 6.1
2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo 7.2
3 Simone Ferrari 6.2
4 Niccolo Cannone 7.4
5 Andrea Zambonin 6.1
6 Alessandro Izekor 6.0
7 Manuel Zuliani 8.7
8 Lorenzo Cannone 5.1
16 Pablo Dimcheff 6.7
17 Mirco Spagnolo 6.1
18 Muhamed Hasa 6.4
19 Matteo Canali 5.9
20 Ross Vintcent 7.1
21 David Odiase 6.3
22 Alessandro Garbisi 5.9
23 Giulio Bertaccini –