14-Man Springboks Power Past Italy for Back-to-Back Short-Handed Victories

On Saturday in Turin, the Springboks registered yet another gritty away win, defeating Italy 32-14 despite being reduced to 14 men early in the match. This marked their second consecutive Test victory while playing a man down, following their win over France last week.

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Early Setback, Relentless Response

The defining moment came inside the first 12 minutes when lock Franco Mostert was shown a straight red card for a tackle deemed dangerous on fly-half Paolo Garbisi. With nearly 70 minutes still to play, a man short, many would have expected Italy to dominate, but the Springboks refused to buckle.

Despite heavy territorial pressure from Italy for much of the opening half, the visitors held firm. A well-timed attack saw No 8 Marco van Staden crash over for a try just before the break, giving South Africa a 10-3 lead at halftime.

Taking Control in the Second Half

With Italy failing to capitalise on the extra man, the Springboks gradually extended their advantage. Scrum-half Morne van den Berg powered in a try around the hour mark, and later in the game, Grant Williams and Ethan Hooker crossed for tries to stamp the final margin.

Crucially, the Springboks’ defence remained resolute, tackling at an astonishing rate and absorbing everything Italy attempted. In the face of adversity, they executed with the calm of champions.