The Springboks took on Italy,  in the first of a two match series, in Witbank over the weekend, and what a dismal affair for the home team. From the outset the Springboks didn’t look as if they were too interested in being there.

From an Italian point of view, they will in all likelihood be pleased with their performance, and with the fact that they often stopped the Springboks from being able to play to their full potential. In the process, scoring their best ever result over the Springboks, made better by it being an away fixture for the Azzurri.

The referee seemed confused at best, making some of the most awkward calls I’ve ever seem, especially when “playing advantage”, and blowing the whistle as soon as the attacking team got clean ball, and looked as if they were going to use it.

The Springboks will however be pleased with their scrumming display, in which they more than stood up to the Azzurri juggernaut scrum. But if the scrums were the best of the Springbok game on the day, then the handling was the worst, with both teams having a string of handling errors. At best it was a messy performance by the world champions, and one they will most likely want to forget sooner than later.

The Springboks opened the try scoring through a Bryan Habana try, after Zane Kirchner put through an uncharacteristically good grubber kick, for Habana to scoop up and trot over the line.

After lots of aimless kicking by both sides, the Springboks put together a great maul near the Italian line and Francois Louw, who was perhaps the only standout Springbok player on the day, managed to sneak around the blind and cross for his second international try.

The scoreline may have been much closer than the home team would have enjoyed, but the truth is that even with the dismal Springbok performance, the Italians never had any real chance of recording their first ever victory over the Boks.

The highlights will tell you the rest of the dismal story.

My two cents worth:

  • After watching the weekend’s games, it’s really clear that the standard of Northern Hemisphere referees is well below par.
  • Zane Kirchner is showing more and more with each performance that he just isn’t the answer at #15.
  • I really don’t understand the idea behind playing some of the most experienced players in world rugby out of position, especially Jean De Villiers.
  • Francois Louw just keeps going from strength to strength this season.
  • Ricky Januarie may have had a good couple of weeks, but he was back to his old tricks this week, looking around at the base of the ruck, and being dispossessed.

Springboks VS NZ Italy – 19 June 2010: [WRNrugbynews]

Scorecard:

South Africa:

  • Tries: Habana, Louw, Steyn, Kirchner
  • Conversions: Steyn 3
  • Penalties: Steyn

Italy:

  • Try: Parisse
  • Conversions: Bergamasco
  • Penalties: Bergamasco 2