The Springboks have made a habit of turning chaos into conquest, and in Turin on Saturday, they did it again.
For the second week running, the world champions were forced to play with 14 men after a red card to their No 5 lock, yet the Boks still muscled their way to a gutsy 32–14 victory over Italy.
If last week’s red for Lood de Jager in Paris felt like lightning striking once, Franco Mostert’s early dismissal in the 12th minute proved the storm isn’t done, but neither are the Boks.
South Africa adapted on the fly, rearranging their shape with the ease of a team hardened by adversity. Captain Siya Kolisi said this Bok group has learned to build the parachute on the way down.
Highlights: Relive the action from Turin where the #Springboks put in a big second half show to defeat Italy – watch here: https://t.co/GIyfJSOxty 🎥#ForeverGreenForeverGold #ITAvRSA pic.twitter.com/vl4HgNrCcE
— Springboks (@Springboks) November 15, 2025
“We went through it last weekend, and this week we went through the same thing. So, we make plans in the game as we go along because such things happen,” Kolisi said.
“The biggest thing that we were asked this week is to show our ‘Africanness’ and that’s about making plans because there are always stumbles, and that’s what I am grateful for with our coaching staff.
“They are always prepared for any scenario, and even the guys who are not playing sit and make plans and decisions, they always buy in.”
Still, the captain admitted the emotional toll is real.
“It doesn’t make it easy for us. We can talk about sacrifices, but seeing a guy like Franco sitting there, we could see the hurt in his eyes.
“That said, I really love the way this team is just able to stand up and fight. We always say whatever happens between those four lines, we can still go as hard as we can and control what we can.”
Head coach Rassie Erasmus wore his frustration openly after watching a second lock in two weeks sent for an early shower in eerily similar fashion.
Reaction from Rassie Erasmus in Turin: “Again, I’m not saying anyone is wrong…but it’s tough to understand” – more here: https://t.co/HV0IRWEk7r 🗣
Watch the media conference here: https://t.co/r8Wq7SpVmT 📺#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #ITAvRSA pic.twitter.com/XGfGl5Q6qS— Springboks (@Springboks) November 15, 2025
“It is what it is. What I say can’t make a difference. I’m just grateful that we had Ben O’Keeffe on the one side and an experienced referee (in James Doleman),” Erasmus said.
“I’m not saying it in a negative way. What I can say is that it’s sad that our captain, who had to make that sacrifice in his 100th game and in this game.”
Erasmus said he remains puzzled by the repeated sanctioning of tall locks for tackles he believes are almost physically impossible to lower further.
“I always thought we wanted to get to 20-minute red cards, and we have to re-check on that, but it’s not my place to talk about it. However, for a captain to twice in a week to suffer for us to win is sad.
“I’m not saying the calls were wrong, but I definitely saw a lot of other shots in the game. By that I’m not criticising, that is life, and once we review the game, we may come to a different conclusion and see that we were totally wrong, and then we have to rectify it.
“We got a red card, and they got a yellow card, which I probably thought was the right call, but losing two locks in two games now for going lower than they can go, it’s tough to understand.
“Again, I’m not saying anyone is wrong, but we don’t know how to coach guys to go lower, especially for a two-meter-tall guy to face someone who is on his knees is tough. And then to play with 13 men, and them with 14 for a while, it was tougher than last week.”
Despite the frustration, Erasmus praised his squad’s ability to morph under pressure.
“Yes, we have a way to adapt, but it’s unfair on individuals like Siya and Ben-Jason (Dixon), who received a chance for the first time in a long time,” he said.
“Everyone, even the players not playing, were making plans, but we are a very proud team in the way we level change and avoid head contact, and we’ve received so many red cards. Makazole Mapimpi and Jasper Wiese both got six-week suspensions, and we are really trying hard.
“It’s not just them suffering, the game is suffering. That certainly makes us tighter as a team and more desperate, but it doesn’t take the hurt away, even though we got through it. I’m happy with the result, but I’m still sad for the players who have to take the brunt for someone who did something wrong by accident.”
The Boks, three from three on tour, now head to Ireland on Sunday, battle-scarred, bruised, but proving again that no matter how many pieces fall off the wagon, they still find a way to steer it home.
