South Africa vs Italy Preview & Prediction | 2025 Mid-Year Internationals

by Trystan Pugh · July 11 2025, 17:29

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South Africa and Italy meet for the second week in succession, this time at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Gqeberha.

Start date/time:

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Cannot be streamed

South Africa team news

Squad: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Thomas du Toit

Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Evan Roos, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Ethan Hooker

Italy team news

Squad: 15 Mirko Belloni, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Marco Zanon, 11 Jacopo Trulla, 10 Giacomo Da Re, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 Ross Vintcent, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Danilo Fischetti

Replacements: 16 Pablo Dimcheff, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Muhamed Hasa, 19 Matteo Canali, 20 Alessandro Izekor, 21 David Odiase, 22 Stephen Varney, 23 Giulio Bertaccini

South Africa vs Italy prediction

It was an entertaining contest between these two sides in Pretoria last weekend, with a second-string Italy side competing well for large periods of the match but ultimately losing 42-24 to the world champions.

The Boks weren’t at their brilliant best, but such is their talent, they don’t often have to be. A youthful Italian side did pose them some problems here and there, but they weathered the storm in the second half and showed all their experience to close out the match.

Only seven Springboks have retained their place in the side for this weekend’s meeting at Nelson Mandela Stadium, and those coming in will be keen to make an impression.