A much-changed Springbok team, playing with 14-men for almost 70 minutes, delivered a great performance in extreme adversity with a stunning 32-14 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour victory over Italy in Turin.
For the second successive week the Boks lost their number five lock in Franco Mostert (for a tackle to the head of Italian flyhalf Paolo Garbisi) as the second man entering the tackle – except this time it was in the 12th minute.
That left an experimental side with new combinations across the field facing 68 minutes with a man down against an Italian team which had recorded a famous victory over Australia a week before.
Almost miraculously, 68 minutes later, the Boks had scored four tries to one in delivering a win that will never be forgotten for its bravery, guts and ultimately superior power and skill.
Boks down to 13 men
Mind you, the game was in the balance as late as the 52nd minute – despite the final margin of 18 points – when Garbisi’s third penalty goal closed the Boks’ lead to one point. And with Bok No 8 Marco van Staden dispatched to the sideline for 10 minutes for the offence which granted the penalty, the Boks were down to 13 men.
But, incredibly, they were to score three more tries in that final half hour from Morne van den Berg, Grant Williams and Ethan Hooker – to add to Van Staden’s first half score – to secure a famous victory.
Italy won a series of penalties at that phase – even after the replacements in the front row – but almost miraculously the Boks managed to lead at halftime after the changes had been made.
Dual role for Esterhuizen
Flank Ben-Jason Dixon gave way for lock Ruan Nortje after 12 minutes; seven minutes later prop Zachary Porthen was replaced by Wilco Louw and Boan Venter followed him four minutes later from the other side of the front row in favour of Gerhard Steenekamp. And the quartet of changes was completed a further four minutes later when Andre Esterhuizen came to fulfil the hybrid role of flanker and centre with wing Kurt-Lee Arendse the man to be sacrificed.
In that first half hour the Boks barely got out of their half, and it took a determined defensive display to keep the home side at bay. It seemed the dam must crack at any moment.
The Boks managed to extend their lead with the teams reduced to 13 versus 14, when Van den Berg profited from a wheeling attacking scrum in the shadow of the poles to dart forward. Although he was tackled on the line, he was able to place the ball.
Italy finally broke the defensive line through the gliding brilliance of fullback Ange Capuozzo – although it took them 65 minutes to do it. He timed his run beautifully to take an inside pass and pierce a slow-to-fold defensive line to score from 25 metres.- www.saru.co.za
