Two losses against the world’s No 1 and 2 teams means this Saturday’s Test against Italy at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa will be a desperate clash to salvage something from a trip that has been blighted by controversy.

The rugby itself hasn’t been bad from the Boks. They could and should have won against Ireland in Dublin two weeks ago. Their lack of cutting edge saw Ireland escape with a 19-16 win.

Last week’s epic encounter against France in Marseille was one of the top three Tests of the year — maybe even the best. It was a demonstration of skill, composure, character and drama. Playing 67 minutes with 14 men and coming back from 13-0 down to eventually lose 30-26 against a side that won its 12th Test in a row, underlined the fight the Boks put up.

But for the fifth time this year, they were on the wrong side of the scoreboard. And then to compound matters, director of rugby Rassie Erasmus earned himself another touchline ban for his constant attacks on match officials via Twitter.

All that heart and courage the Boks showed in Marseille, in particular, has been undermined by their boss. They should’ve been lauded for an extraordinary display of determination in a savagely hostile environment last week. Instead, Erasmus has turned the Bok touring party into a circus.

Rugby is not the talking point around the world champions any longer. The antics of the boss are the focus. Maybe that’s what the Boks want. Maybe it’s some sort of elaborate plan to create desperation internally.

You can imagine the next movie about Bok rugby showing footage from Genoa with coach Jacques Nienaber telling his players: “It’s us against them, boys. Can you see how much they all hate us? Go eff them up.”

Italy could be on the receiving end of a Bok backlash after the acrimony of the past two weeks, but they also present the Boks with a potential banana peel this week.

Fresh off a 28-27 win over Australia in Florence, which followed victories over Samoa and Wales this year, Italy are confident and nobody’s pushover anymore. For a Bok team that already looks foolish thanks to the victim mentality Erasmus has created, a loss against Italy would be the final insult.

That’s unlikely, but not impossible. Tours have a way of unravelling quickly when results and external factors start detracting from team harmony and rugby.

Only the players and management will know how much the events of the past 48 hours have affected them, but having the director of rugby banned for the second time in a year, can’t be a positive thing.

Italy settled

The home side have a strong pack for forwards and have an enterprising backline, spearheaded by the wonderful Toulouse fullback Ange Capuozzo. He is one of the most exciting talents in the game and will cause endless problems if allowed space.

Italy have made two changes to their starting lineup from the team that beat Australia last week with prop Pietro Ceccarelli and hooker Giacomo Nicotera coming into the front row.

Coach Kieran Crowley has otherwise resisted changes. Capuozzo will be a key weapon again as part of a back three that also includes wings Pierre Bruno and Montanna Ioane, while the centre pairing is Luca Morisi and Juan Ignacio Brex. Flyhalf Tommaso Allan and Stephen Varney continue as the halfback duo.

Ceccarelli and Nicotera beef up a front row that also has prop Danilo Fischetti and is expected to come under huge pressure from the powerful Bok pack.

Niccolò Cannone and Federico Ruzza are at lock, while number eight Lorenzo Cannone packs down with flankers Sebastian Negri and captain Michele Lamaro.

“We achieved a historic result against Australia, but we are not satisfied. The following day the focus was immediately shifted to South Africa,” Crowley said.

“It will be a very intense match from a physical point of view. We have studied our opponents and prepared ourselves in the best possible way. We will continue on this path by showing that we are competitive in every game.”

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Boks mix it up

Nienaber also shuffled his pack with Stormers locks Marvin Orie and Salmaan Moerat starting a Test together for the first time.

The rejigging of the locks ends Eben Etzebeth’s 18-match starting streak as he takes a welcome break on the bench. It has been a remarkable sequence of durability, but more importantly, high-quality performances.

Franco Mostert shifts to blindside flank after Pieter-Steph du Toit’s three-match suspension following the red card he picked up against France for a dangerous tackle.

No 8 Jasper Wiese returns in place of Kwagga Smith for the Italian clash, following the concussion he sustained against Ireland in the first match of the tour. But this will be Wiese’s last appearance of the year because he must return to English club side Leicester next weekend.

Bok skipper Siya Kolisi knows his side face a tough challenge against Italy. (Photo: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

Bruising inside centre Andre Esterhuizen also makes a rare start — his first since the second Test against Wales in July and only his second Test start in three years. That means Damian de Allende shifts to outside centre for his first start in the No 13 jersey since the Rugby World Cup 2019 match against Canada.

The back three of Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Willie le Roux, from last weeks’ 30-26 defeat in Marseille, are retained.

Stormers loose forward Evan Roos will feature on the replacements bench alongside Etzebeth, Smith and the front row of Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch (both props) and Malcolm Marx (hooker) in a split of six forwards and two backs on the bench.

Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf) and Manie Libbok (utility back), in turn, will provide backline cover, with Libbok able to cover flyhalf, centre, wing and fullback.

Libbok might earn a longer outing than the few minutes he received in Marseille on debut. He has a chance to display his utility as he covers several positions.

“Apart from flyhalf, I can also cover fullback and centre, both inside centre or outside,” Libbok told reporters this week. “I am pleased I can do that as it means I can help out the team if I am needed there.

“It is a big honour for me to just pull on the Springbok jersey, so I will play any role that I am asked to play.

“When I got onto the field (against France) I was so energetic that I just wanted to get the ball in my hands and play. I wanted to run. If I got the ball from the kick-off when I came on I would probably just have run with it.

“Last week we had a plan against France, as we knew there would be opportunities (to keep the ball in hand).

“Italy is similar in their tactics. We have plans for them and we are well prepared for it.” Boks fans can only hope that is indeed the case. DM

Teams:

Italy

15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Pierre Bruno, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Montanna Ioane, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (captain), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Pietro Ceccarelli, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti 

Reserves: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Ivan Nemer, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 David Sisi, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Alessandro Garbisi, 22 Edoardo Padovani, 23 Tommaso Menoncello.

South Africa

15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche

Reserves: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok.

Referee: Matthew Carley (England)

Kick-off: 3pm (SA time)