News

Rugby Union > South Africa gain scrappy win
By Colin Bryden
June 20, 2010

South Africa beat Italy 29-13 in a rugby union Test on Saturday, but it was a scrappy, unconvincing performance by the world champions.

"We didn't play very well," said Springbok captain Victor Matfield.

"We made too many basic errors."

But Italian coach Nick Mallett was delighted with his side's showing against the team he described as the best in the world.

"I'm really proud of them," said Mallett, who will keep a promise to the players to shave off his hair if they managed to keep the Springboks to a margin of 20 points or less.

"A bet is a bet," he said, "so all this grey hair is going to go."

The Springboks seemed to be heading for a big win when they led 22-3 at halftime after playing into the wind during the first half.

They stretched their lead to 29-3 after the break but the rest of the match belonged to the Italians who finished the match pressing on the Springbok line.

Italy had pinned their hopes on a strong showing in the scrums but suffered a major blow when powerful tighthead prop Martin Castrogiovanni left the field with what appeared to be a rib injury after 18 minutes.

There had already been five scrums by the time Castrogiovanni went off and the Springboks had dominated the exchanges.

"In the first half we had a lot of problems in the scrums," admitted Italian captain Sergio Parisse, who had an outstanding match at eighthman for the tourists.

"In the second half it was better for us. I'm happy with the performance of our team, especially in the second half. It's not easy for us playing the world champions in South Africa."

South African coach Peter de Villiers said the game against the bottom team in the European Six Nations championship was a "wake-up call" for his players a week after they crushed Six Nations champions France 42-17 in Cape Town.

Both Matfield and De Villiers said South Africa would be looking to produce a better performance in the second and final Test in East London next Saturday.

Italy went close to scoring a try in the 12th minute but the Boks held them out, although they conceded a penalty which enabled Mirco Bergomasco to open the scoring.

The lead lasted only two minutes, however, before fly-half Morne Steyn landed a penalty for South Africa.

Three minutes later the Boks scored the first try after Matfield stole the ball at a line-out and the ball was spun quickly down the backline.

Fullback Zane Kirchner joined the line and chipped ahead for Bryan Habana, who collected the ball to score.

Flanker Francois Louw scored when he peeled off a driving maul from a line-out and Steyn added a third try before half-time.

Parisse scored a try on 63 minutes after a break following a line-out by scrum-half Tito Tebaldi.

The try seemed to lift the Italians who forced the Boks into numerous errors. A penalty by Bergamasco reduced the deficit to 16 points and Italy almost scored in the last minute before a knock-on ended the match.
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