If there are two things we know about Erasmus, it's that he loves winning and really hates losing, and nowhere is that more evident than in the team he announced to take on the Azzurri at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
There were some suggestions he might use the Test to rotate his squad and experiment a little against an Italy group that has been severely depleted by injury.
However, perhaps spooked by the loss to Australia immediately after Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour, Erasmus has gone for a settled, high-cap team built around the core that performed well against New Zealand.
Team news
The only major change is Salmaan Moerat coming in at lock, making his first appearance of the season after recovering from neck and toe injuries.
He is hardly a new face to the team, with 11 Test caps already to his name, but it came as a bit of a surprise that he was thrust directly into the starting XV.
The rest of the pack and the backline remain largely intact, with Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende anchoring the backline in midfield, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu continuing at fly-half, Siya Kolisi captaining from the flank and no uncapped players featuring in the 23.
Springboks starting XV: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok
Italy have been heavily hit by injuries, with around 15 players, including captain Michele Lamaro, centres Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex, and loose forward Sebastian Negri unavailable for selection.
Head coach Gonzalo Quesada has still named a competitive side featuring the return of Ange Capuozzo and a 50th cap for Monty Ioane, and they will all have to be at the tippy top of their game against a settled, in-form Springbok outfit.
Italy starting XV: 15 Mirko Belloni, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Leonardo Marin, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Samuele Locatelli, 6 Alessandro Ortombina, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera (c), 1 Muhamed Hasa
Replacements: 16 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Ion Neculai, 19 Enoch Opoku Gyamfi, 20 Ross Vincent, 21 Manuel Zuliani, 22 Stephen Varney, 23 Tommaso Allan.
Context
The Springboks sit top of the Southern Hemisphere standings, level on points with New Zealand but ahead on points difference, after three wins from three in the first half of the Nations Championship. Italy, meanwhile, sit bottom of the Northern Hemisphere table with three losses.
South Africa will be full of confidence after a strong first half of 2026 coupled with the fact that they won the corresponding fixture in Turin 32–14 last year despite playing most of the match with 14 men after Franco Mostert was shown a red card.
This is also the final meeting between the sides before the 2027 Rugby World Cup, where they will meet again in Group B, so both will look to gather as much information as they can.
Key Matchups
Scrum Battle
South Africa's scrum has been utterly dominant in 2026 so far, but Italy also excel there.
Nche, Marx and du Toit form one of the most experienced and destructive front rows in world rugby, with Marx’s lineout throwing and breakdown work, combined with Nche’s mobility and du Toit’s raw power, giving the Boks a platform to excel anywhere on the pitch.
Italy’s front row was strong in the Six Nations and the Boks backed their scrum as one of the better units in the Northern Hemisphere. Ferrari is a seasoned tighthead, but the absence of several regulars does create a few question marks.
The Springboks will target the scrum early to assert dominance and take away one of Italy's most important weapons.
Breakdown & Gain-line contest
This is arguably the most one-sided matchup on paper, with Kolisi, Du Toit and Wiese forming the most-capped loose trio in Springbok history and one of the most well-balanced units in the game.
Italy are missing captain Michele Lamaro and Sebastian Negri, with Locatelli making his Test debut at openside flanker and having to compete at the breakdown against Du Toit and Marx.
The home side will try to slow the Boks at the breakdown and use Cannone’s carrying, but they face a significant gap in physicality and experience.
Back Three
The aerial contest and kick chase is potentially Italy’s biggest strength, and Capuozzo’s return is a major boost. He is a genuine game-breaker who can create something from nothing, and the hosts will look to get him involved as much as possible.
Unfortunately for the Azzurri, the Springboks are also very potent in this area of the game, with a settled, potent back three. Arendse’s finishing and footwork, Hooker’s power and pace, and Willemse’s all-round skill, which lets him slot in as a second playmaker alongside Mngomezulu, give South Africa multiple threats that will be difficult to keep under control.
What to expect
Erasmus and his coaches have stressed that Italy should not be taken lightly at home, with the Azzurri boasting a strong scrum, an accurate kicker in Garbisi, and dangerous backs who can punish mistakes and compete for the high ball.
Springbok coach Jerry Flannery revealed that defence has been a particular focus going into the second half of the season, with South Africa looking for ways to stem the flow of points that has been increasing across the board in international rugby in 2026.
The Boks might have a trick or two up their sleeve to test in this area against Italy, and they are expected to improve their first-time tackling and control of the aerial game.
With a powerful pack, a settled half-back pairing, and attacking threats across the backline, the Springboks are clear favourites. Italy will look to disrupt the scrum, contest the breakdown, and create transition opportunities, but unless South Africa make a bunch of mistakes, it is likely to be a tough day out for the Azzurri.
Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada believes Rassie Erasmus has shown his side great respect by selecting a near full-strength Springbok team for Saturday's Nations Championship clash in Turin.
The Springboks will put their No 1 ranking on the line when they face Italy in Turin on Saturday.
Pieter-Steph du Toit has joined a growing exodus of South African players from Japan after leaving Toyota Verblitz with immediate effect, the club has announced.
Italy hot-stepper Ange Capuozzo will make his Test return for the Azzurri this weekend, after being included in an injury-affected matchday 23 by coach Gonzalo Quesada.
