Gonzalo Quesada’s Italrugby holds off against the Springboks, world champions, in front of over thirty-two thousand fans at the Allianz Stadium in Turin in the second match of the Quilter Nations Series, which ended at 14-32 for South Africa. The Azzurri are unable to repeat the feat of Udine against Australia: the four-time world champion, fresh from the success over France, achieve another victory despite playing for a long time in numerical inferiority. In the eleventh minute Mostert leaves his team with fourteen men due to a late intervention on Garbisi, who however misses the place. Italy keeps possession but doesn’t break through, even risking an interception from Arendse. In the twenty-fifth minute Garbisi has another chance from the pitch, but kicks out again. South Africa breaks the deadlock in the thirty-second minute with a score: 0-3. Garbisi equalized from a kick won from the scrum, but with time up the Springboks got another free kick and van Staden scored. Pollard sets the score at 3-10 at half-time.
In the second half, Italy continues to press and Garbisi scores two goals, while the guests remain in double inferiority. Pollard, however, responds from distance. The match changes when Cannone is booked: the South Africans, thirteen against fourteen, score with van den Berg to make it 9-20. The Azzurri react and Capuozzo shortens to 14-20, but Williams closes the score by taking advantage of an initiative from Arendse. Libbok brings the score to 14-27 and, in the final minutes, serves the crosskick which allows Hooker to score the fourth try for the final 14-32. Italy will remain in Turin until Thursday, then will move to Genoa for the last autumn test match, Saturday 22 November at 9.10pm against Chile, sixteenth in the rankings and fresh from qualifying for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
