Preview:Italy vs. South Africa - prediction, team news, lineups

Italy will be looking to bag another Southern Hemisphere scalp when they host South Africa in the Quilter Nations Series in Turin on Saturday, November 15. 

Both teams have had successful starts to the autumn series and will want to build on that to end 2025 on a high. 

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Match preview

Italy have been making steady progress as a team in recent years under the guidance of coach Gonzalo Quesada. 

The Azzurri secured impressive victories against Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations earlier this year, and stunned Australia last week with a 26-19 win in Udine. 

The ambition that the Italians have demonstrated is clear, and it is yielding positive results, as they have won five of their last eight matches in the Quilter Nations Series, which is as many as they won in the previous 23 autumn series tests combined. 

Each of their last two outings in this competition saw the hosts trail at half time, and come out to put on an almost perfect performance in the second half to see it home. 

The hosts last beat South Africa 20-18 in 2016 - almost nine years to the day - but that was the Italians' only victory across 19 meetings with the World Champions. 

However, the home team have a point to prove here after seeing off the Wallabies last weekend, which was their second win in four tests against Rugby Championship opposition. 

With the home fans behind them, and the Italians known for playing with ball in hand, they pose a different threat to the Springboks than France last week.

South Africa had their backs against the wall when Lood de Jager was shown a red card near half time, but the fact that it was only a one-point game at the 40-minute mark meant that they were still in it. 

While France were expected to hammer home that numerical advantage, the Springboks were resilient in defence and allowed the hosts to score just three points in the second stanza. 

Rassie Erasmus’s tactics were unpredictable once again, especially throwing centre Andre Esterhuizen in the scrum, but it paid off as they surged to a second-half onslaught to win 26-17. 

The Boks will be keen to continue their record against European sides, winning each of their last eight away from home - their longest such run since a 14-game streak between 1994 and 1998. 

It is worth noting that South Africa’s last four meetings with Italy saw them score more than 40 points, with their most recent clash ending in a shutout for the Italians.

Italy Quilter Nations Series form:

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Italy form (all competitions):

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South Africa Quilter Nations Series form:

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South Africa form (all competitions):

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Team News

Italy’s forward line will be reliant on the likes of Niccolo Cannone and flanker Sebastian Negri, while the backs Ange Capuozzo and Tommaso Menoncello will hope to capitalise on any mistakes from the visiting defence. 

Italy’s Manuel Zuliani is averaging a little over one jackal turnover per 80 minutes in 2025 - one of two players to have at least 400 minutes under their belt from Tier One nations this year. 

Lood de Jager’s end-of-year series is over after he received that red card last week and was slapped with a four-match ban by the independent disciplinary committee. 

With Ireland and Wales in his sights, Erasmus has made 11 changes to his starting XV this weekend to continue with his stated rotational plan. 

Italy starting lineup:

15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex (captain), 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Ross Vintcent, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti 

Replacements:

16 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 Federico Ruzza, 20 Riccardo Favretto, 21 David Odiase, 22 Martin Page-Relo, 23 Tommaso Allan

South Africa starting lineup:

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Ethan Hooker, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Boan Venter

Replacements:

16 Gerhard Steenekamp, 17 Wilco Louw, 18 RG Snyman, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok

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Head To Head

The Springboks dominate the history of this fixture with 18 wins to Italy’s one, and their last four delivering wins with at least an 18-point gap spells danger for the hosts.

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We say: Italy 12-35 South Africa

Despite the home side putting the Wallabies to the sword last week, the World Champions are a different prospect and showed that even when the chips are down, they can fight for each other and come out on top.