Italy outline plan to combat Bok Women's power
It will be a battle of pace versus power when Italy take on South Africa in the second round of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 this Sunday at the York Community Centre.
Following a 0-24 opening-round defeat to France, the Azzurre are aiming to bounce back and keep their quarter-final hopes alive. But they face a formidable challenge in a Springbok side known for their physical, forward-driven game.
Italy head into the clash with confidence, having won the last two encounters against South Africa – 36-18 in WXV 2 (2023) and 23-19 in WXV 2 (2024).
“We know that South Africa is a really physical team. We have to set up a faster game with our backs,” scrumhalf Alia Bitonci said.
“We have to try to have more possession and try to score.”
Ranked seventh in the world, five places above the Springboks, the Italians are considered favourites, but they’re under no illusions about the task ahead.
“It’s important to know the team we play against. South Africa is very powerful, strong, more physical than us, so the match on Sunday will be very different from the preparation we had for France, but the ranking doesn’t matter.”
Italy second row Valeria Fedrighi echoed the scrumhalf’s sentiment and emphasised that defence will be a key factor in Sunday’s match.
“We don’t think South Africa is going to be easy at all,” Fedrighi stated, adding: “They are very physical, very strong, and they run straight into you.
“We are not underestimating them.
“We have to keep our defence very strong, as we did against France, and we have to run a lot.”
With a final pool match against Brazil still to come, a win this weekend would put Italy in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages.
“It’s fundamental. It’s very, very important. We have two games left, and if we want to go to the quarter-finals, we have to win both games. That’s the goal.”
Italy prop Silvia Turani stated she is going to have her work cut out for her, especially when it comes to the big collisions.
“We played them in South Africa last year and the year before, so we already know how the collisions are and how big they are.
“So that’s definitely one of the focuses.
“I’d say when it’s our turn in defence, we know we need to get low. Otherwise, they are strong, and they have leg drive, and they’re really strong in contact, so that will be the main focus in defence. And we just need to stop them going forward as soon as possible.
But while the Springboks bring muscle, Turani believes Italy’s unpredictability in attack could be the difference.
“With them being a really physical team, our strength is being unpredictable and being able to move the ball and create something from nowhere.”
*Additional source: World Rugby
