In the cathedral of altitude and attitude, Loftus Versfeld, where rugby echoes like a war hymn through the jacaranda-lined streets of Pretoria, the Springboks are preparing for a clash that might seem on paper like a stroll through the park—but Bongi Mbonambi and Handré Pollard know better.
Italy might be ranked tenth in the world, but according to these grizzled warriors, underestimating the Azzurri would be as foolish as handing a live grenade to a scrumhalf.
“Some may be underestimating them, but as a team, we have a lot to lose if we let ourselves down on the field” ⚠#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 2, 2025
This Saturday, the Boks will lace up for the first of two Tests against an Italian outfit that’s evolving fast and playing with the kind of volcanic passion that threatens to erupt at any moment. After dishing out a 54-7 rugby sermon to the Barbarians in Cape Town last weekend, South Africa now turns to more serious liturgy.
The Italians are no longer the punching bags they once were in the northern hemisphere. Under the fiery guidance of Gonzalo Quesada, they’ve transformed into a squad that tackle like trojans and scrums like a pack of Tuscan oxen.
“The Italian pack proved what they can do in the Six Nations, and they are a team that believes in their systems and plays with a lot of passion,” said Mbonambi, his voice as gruff as a tighthead’s handshake.
“They also have a coach in Gonzalo Quesada who drives that passion. They may have a smaller group of players to choose from compared to South Africa with so few clubs, but they are hard-working players, and we are expecting a tough day at the office.”
And make no mistake—this office isn’t air-conditioned. It’s blood, sweat, and braai smoke, where every collision is a job interview and every tackle a reference check.
Quesada’s selection tells its own tale. The Italian coach has rested a number of seasoned campaigners, including hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi, locks Dino Lamb and Federico Ruzza, midfield marshal Juan Ignacio Brex, and fleet-footed Ange Capuozzo. But don’t be fooled—this isn’t a second-string outfit; it’s a battalion of young gladiators eager to carve their names into rugby folklore.
Pollard, the calm-eyed conductor who’s pulled South Africa’s strings on the biggest stages, was equally wary of the Italian threat.
Handre Pollard Photo: Skysports
“This is a good Italian team, and we are certainly not underestimating them, especially with the passion and physicality they play with,” he said.
“They also have a lot of threats, and they are a side that are clearly evolving if one looks at their results in the last few years against some of the top teams, so it will be important to stop them and to front up physically.”
Pollard, the double World Cup winner with the metronomic boot and icy veins, will don the number 10 jersey again, but he’s under no illusions—his position is anything but secure. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Manie Libbok are circling like eager understudies, ready to step into the limelight.
“We are blessed with so much talent in the country and, as teammates, we try to push each other and learn from one another because it’s important for us to evolve together and essentially become better,” said Pollard, showing the kind of squad-first humility that turns good teams into great dynasties.
If rugby is a game of inches, then Springbok standards are measured in millimetres. The Boks have never been content to merely win; they seek to dominate, to squeeze the air out of their opponents until all that’s left is submission and applause.
“Over and above that, we have set high standards for ourselves, and we want to implement that at Test level,” Pollard said.
This Test marks Pollard’s return not just to the Springbok setup, but to his spiritual rugby home. After a European sabbatical that took him from Montpellier’s vineyards to Leicester’s dogfights, he’s back with the Bulls and ready to perform in the highveld theatre that raised him.
“It’s great being back in South Africa and back with the guys in camp, and I’m really looking forward to my time here,” Pollard said with a grin.
“I’m also looking forward to playing at Loftus Versfeld. I have good memories of playing there, and although this is a new season, we are excited to run out in front of our passionate home crowd again.”
The crowd at Loftus doesn’t whisper—they roar. And this Saturday, as the sun sets over Pretoria like a golden scrum cap, the Springboks will look to assert their dominance once more. But don’t expect Italy to play the role of cannon fodder. They’ve brought swords of their own, and if South Africa blinks for even a second, those blades might just find flesh.
So, while the scoreboard might suggest a mismatch, Mbonambi and Pollard know better. They understand that Test rugby isn’t played on paper—it’s played in the trenches, in the lungs, and in the hearts of men brave enough to bleed for the badge.
And the Azzurri? They’ve come to bleed too.
Springboks: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Willie le Roux
Italy: 15 Jacopo Trulla, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Marco Zanon, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giacomo Da Re, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Pablo Dimcheff, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Muhamed Hasa, 19 Matteo Canali, 20 Ross Vintcent, 21 David Odiase, 22 Alessandro Garbisi, 23 Giulio Bertaccini
