Thirteen-man Springboks produce performance for the ages against the odds to subdue Italy in Turin

This might be the defining victory of the Rassie Erasmus era as a 14-man, and at times 13-man Springbok team, beat Italy with something to spare in Turin.

Despite an eleventh-minute red card for lock Franco Mostert, which was the most ridiculous decision, in a sport littered with ludicrous decisions by officials, the Boks still found a way.

Mostert was part of a double tackle with centre Ethan Hooker on Italy flyhalf Paolo Garbisi, and his shoulder made contact with the Italian’s shoulder.

Mostert was bent at the waist, Garbisi dipped late, and Mostert’s contact was still on the shoulder. Somehow New Zealand referee James Doleman saw “clear head contact”, which was invisible to the rest of the watching world.

No one epitomised the effort more than fullback Damian Willemse, who covered every blade of grass and was omnipresent on defence and attack.

“Gaza” as he’s known, was otherworldly, and his teammates followed him over the top.

Convincing himself of an indiscretion that was non-existent in a dynamic sport, Doleman left himself no option but to issue a red card, with a little more than 10 minutes played.

That forced the coaching staff to really earn their money. Erasmus was decisive. Immediately he started ringing the changes, and by halftime he had made four tactical substitutions.

He pulled the unfortunate flank Ben-Jason Dixon to bring on lock Ruan Nortjé, due to Mostert’s red card. Nortjé is a lineout manager and with Mostert dismissed, it was vital.

In the 18th minute he hooked young prop Zach Porthen because the scrums were struggling with a man down, and introduced Wilco Louw.

In the next 10 minutes he added prop Gerhard Steenekamp for Boan Venter and hybrid player André Esterhuizen for wing Edwill van der Merwe.

This is what sets the Boks apart. Despite all the adversity and odds against them, they found a way, through clever tactical tweaks and sheer bloody-mindedness.

Wizard Willemse

No one epitomised the effort more than fullback Damian Willemse, who covered every blade of grass and was omnipresent on defence and attack.

“Gaza” as he’s known, was otherworldly, and his teammates followed him over the top.

Ethan Hooker, who started at centre and ended up at wing, was rewarded with his first Test try in the final minute, to add gloss to a win that had been confirmed minutes earlier when Grant Williams scored another fine try.

Williams’s try was made by Willemse, who fielded a high ball, fed Manie Libbok, whose long pass to Moodie – on the left wing – put him in a one-on-one with Louis Lynagh.

Moodie stepped Lynagh with panache and then threw a sublime inside pass to Williams, which took out four defenders.

That was the score that broke the game open – just as Williams’s try had been against France a week previously – and confirmed another world-champion display from the world champions.

It was a collectively brilliant performance with lock RG Snyman ending up as captain, and veteran Kwagga Smith producing a masterclass in managing the breakdown.

Hooker Johan Grobbelaar ended up playing 80 minutes and became more influential as the match wore on, with one late breakdown penalty crucial in stunting Italy’s building momentum.

This result and performance will only add to the growing legend of the Springboks. Especially as they played 10 minutes of the second half with 13 men, when Marco van Staden was sin-binned for killing the ball close to his line. It was a nailed-on-yellow all day.

But Van Staden came back to make some telling plays in a tense final 15 minutes. He was also the man who gave the Boks an unlikely halftime lead with a score on the stroke of the break, after the Boks had been on the back foot for much of the opening stanza.

Van Staden’s try came from a free kick after a scrum infringement by Italy. Three phases later, the No 8 was in for the score that sent the home team into the sheds, seven points down despite dominating territory.

Garbisi’s lone first-half penalty was all Italy had to show for their first-half efforts, and he added another two more penalties shortly after halftime, to briefly narrow the lead to one point.

Bok flyhalf Handré Pollard answered with a penalty – his second of the day – to re-establish a four-point gap.

While Van Staden was off the field, the Boks found a way to manufacture another try when scrumhalf Morné van den Berg sniped over from a five-metre scrum deep inside Italy territory.

Despite all the adversity, the Boks broke the game open with that try. It was a remarkable testament to skill and composure.

Italy struck back with a fine try for dazzling fullback Ange Capuozzo, who took a sublime inside ball from Garbisi to split the Bok defence.

But it only served to motivate the Boks to redouble their resolve, leading to the late tries for Williams and Hooker that sealed another great day in a growing canon of remarkable moments for these Boks. DM

Scorers:

Italy – Try: Ange Capuozzo. Penalties: Paolo Garbisi (3).

South Africa – Tries: Marco van Staden, Morné van den Berg, Grant Williams, Ethan Hooker. Conversions: Handré Pollard (2), Manie Libbok. Penalties: Pollard (2).