Tshituka Set to Premiere in First Game as Elder Players Rejoin South African Rugby Team (Boks)
In a thrilling encounter at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on July 5, 2025, the South Africa Springboks triumphed over Italy with a convincing 42-24 scoreline [1]. The Springboks, led by captain Jesse Kriel, demonstrated their dominance in the first half, scoring four tries and taking a commanding 28-3 lead at halftime [1].
Handre Pollard, the Springboks' reliable flyhalf, was flawless in conversions, kicking every successful goal in the first half. However, Italy showed resilience in the second half, scoring four tries and narrowing the gap to 35-24 at one point [1]. The Springboks' victory was ultimately sealed by Marco van Staden with a late try [1]. Alessandro Izekor from Italy received a yellow card in the 73rd minute [1].
The Springboks' victory marked their 15th win in 16 encounters against Italy and served as a significant statement, aiming to avoid a repeat of their 2016 defeat by Italy on South African soil [2]. The Springboks fielded a strong team, featuring 12 Rugby World Cup winners and 7 other renowned players, while Italy focused on depth-building with only nine players from their Six Nations victory over Wales in the matchday squad [2].
Key Springboks players included Handre Pollard, instrumental with conversions, and Marco van Staden, who scored the final try sealing the win [1][4]. Italy's notable contributions came from players like Manuel Zuliani and Niccolò Cannone, both scoring tries in the second half to boost Italy’s comeback efforts [1][2].
With this victory, the Springboks maintained their top world ranking and marked a significant win at home against Italy [1][3]. This match is part of the Springboks' 2025 international season kickoff, and they will look to continue their momentum in the following fixtures against Italy [3].
The starting lineups featured a number of key players, with Wilco Louw, Ox Nche, and Malcolm Marx forming a formidable front row for the Springboks [2]. Morne van den Berg got another opportunity to prove his worth as scrumhalf for the Springboks, while Damian Willemse returned to the team since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final [2]. Lood de Jager was part of the engine room in the South African team, and the average caps per player in the backline was 50, the forwards 47, while the players on the bench averaged 58 [2].
Should Willie le Roux take the field, it would mark his 99th Test match for the Springboks, putting him one Test closer to becoming a Springbok centurion [2]. Eben Etzebeth served as vice-captain of the South African team and extended his record as the most-capped Springbok to 132 caps [2]. Marco van Staden, Tshituka, and Wiese formed the back row in the South African team, with RugbyTshituka making his full-test debut [2].
The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up was 738, with 351 caps in the backline and 377 caps among the forwards [2]. RG Snyman, Franco Mostert, and Kwagga Smith were set to add extra firepower as replacements for the South African team [2].
In the 15 matches the Springboks have won against Italy, they only scored fewer than 30 points on three occasions [2]. Damian Willemse returned to the South African team, wearing the No. 15 jersey [2]. Handre Pollard and Jasper Wiese were part of the run-on side for the South African team [2].
This victory sets the stage for an exciting summer of rugby for the Springboks, as they look to continue their momentum in the upcoming fixtures against Italy.
[1] https://www.rugbypass.com/news/springboks-beat-italy-in-first-test [2] https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/matchstats/series/234819/match/4308975 [3] https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/springboks-to-face-italy-for-first-time-at-loftus-since-2016-20220701 [4] https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/springboks-team-to-face-italy-in-pretoria-test-1e6f8462-881e-4715-a931-985c10386f67
Handre Pollard's flawless conversion skills in the first half of the rugby match against Italy solidified the Springboks' dominance, contributing to a commanding 28-3 lead at halftime. Despite Italy's resilient comeback in the second half, narrowing the gap to 35-24 at one point, the Springboks sealed the victory with Marco van Staden scoring the final try.
The Springboks' 42-24 triumph over Italy marked their 15th win in 16 encounters against the Italian team and reinforced their position as a top sports team, aiming to avoid a repeat of their 2016 defeat on home soil.
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