Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the International Rugby Union match.
The most recent fixture for Italy was against South Africa. That match was held in Pretoria at Loftus Versfeld, while the upcoming clash is scheduled to take place in Port Elizabeth.
South Africa
One week ago, the reigning world champions secured a 42:24 victory. Despite what seemed like a relatively modest scoreline, several key players took to the field for South Africa. Handré Pollard converted all six tries, while Jesse Kriel, who captained the squad in the absence of the injured Siya Kolisi, scored the opening try. Marco van Staden filled in at the back row and also got on the scoreboard with a try.
Italy
Italy were trailing throughout the previous match but managed to keep the margin within a respectable range. This was a significant improvement compared to previous heavy defeats: a 3:49 loss at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and a 21:63 result three years later in Genoa.
South Africa vs Italy Prediction
Italy were able to stay within reach largely because the hosts rarely broke the gain line, registering only four line breaks compared to two by the visitors. While there remains a degree of motivation in test fixtures, the intensity is not on par with that of official tournaments. We believe South Africa will not win by a margin greater than 35 points.
