Bok coach's take on 'depleted' Italy
INTERVIEW: Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick dismissed any claims that Italy will be an easy prospect due to missing several first-choice players.
Azzurri head coach Gonzalez Quesada selected a strong outfit despite having several players unavailable due to injury for their home match against the World Champions at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
*Also read: Italy v South Africa – Teams and Prediction
Despite the astronomical number of missing players, Stick believes Italy have enough quality to put up a strong performance, as they did in a similar scenario last season at Loftus Versfeld, where they also missed several key players.
“From our side as coaches, we went deep into their team. Manuel Zuliani is one of the best fetchers in the world and a very physical guy,” Stick told Rugby365 on Friday afternoon in Turin.
“Even in the previous games we played against Italy, he gave us a tough time at the breakdown; last year in Pretoria he was one of the best guys on the pitch.
“It could be that he’s selected on the bench because he’s coming back from an injury and they’re trying to ease him back into Test rugby.”
Continues below…
Stick highlighted which threats in the Italian side could give the Boks a headache on the day.
“You also can’t underestimate their starting XV. If you look at someone like Ange Capuozzo [selected at wing] in their outside backs, we know he’s world-class.
“We’ve seen what he’s done in the French Top 14 for Toulouse. If you give him time and space, he’ll punish any team.
“The same counts for Alessandro Garbisi at flyhalf; on a good day, if you give him time and space, he’ll also punish you.
“I’m also looking forward to the challenge between the centres.
“I know their first choice of Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello are currently injured, but if you look at what Paolo Odogwu produced in recent times, he’s a very explosive and powerful outside centre.
“It will be a tough challenge for us, but again, we are Springboks; we want to make sure that we enforce what we want to achieve and impose our game on them.
“I know it’s going to be tough. If you look at their set-piece game, they’re a proper side – they do their driving mauls, and they’ve been getting better in their scrums as well.
“Credit must go to their coaching staff; they’ve been doing very well with that team.
“It will be a tough challenge, but we’ll do everything in our power to make sure we start well.”
1 YEAR TO GO
The countdown is on until the biggest Men’s Rugby World Cup ever kicks off in Australia. Go All Out and secure your seats with tickets now available!
