Port Elizabeth hosts the second international rugby test between South Africa and Italy on Saturday and after the Boks won the first test last week the betting for this contest suggests they should have few problems in clinching the series.
South Africa v Italy, Saturday 12th July, Port Elizabeth, KO 17:10 (South African time)
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (RFU), Hollie Davidson (SRU)
TMO: Tual Trainini (FFR)
Weather Forecast – Port Elizabeth
South Africa:
The pre-match betting for last week's first test at Loftus saw South Africa start at around -40.5 on the bookmakers main handicap line and although they won the game 42-24 it was those who took the plus that were in the money. At 28-3 up at half time the Boks were in complete control and they went on to score 6 tries in total (including a brace for Van den Berg), all converted by Pollard.
The Boks returned to action with a one off clash against the Barbarians in Cape Town at the end of June and they ran in 8 tries on their way to a 54-7 victory. That was their first action of 2025 and after this they will face Georgia in Nelspruit on the 19th July and then bid to defend the Rugby Championship title in August and September..
In the November 2024 internationals in Europe South Africa reeled off wins over Scotland (32-15), England (29-20) and Wales (45-12). In last years Rugby Championship they started with back to back wins over the Wallabies in Australia and then beat the All Blacks in two close games on home turf. Their only defeat came in Argentina where they went down 29-28 to Los Pumas but a round later they beat the same opposition 48-7 in South Africa to clinch the title.
In July 2024 South Africa shared a 2 match series against Ireland 1-1 before thrashing Portugal 64-21.
Italy:
Italy scored 3 tries in the second half of last week's clash at Loftus and reduced the deficit to 11 points at one stage. Zuliani, Dimcheff, Cannone were the try scorers, De Re converted all 3 and he also landed 3 penalties.
Prior to landing in SA Italy had a hit out against Namibia which they won 73-6 whilst earlier this year they came 5th in the Six Nations. Their only 6N win came at home to Wales (22-15) and they were beaten in Scotland (31-19), at home to France (73-24), in England (47-24) and at home to Ireland (22-17).
In the November Internationals of 2024 Italy beat Georgia (20-17) either side of home defeats to Argentina (50-18) and New Zealand (29-11).
In July 2024 Italy lost to Samoa (33-25), they beat Tonga (36-14) and also beat Japan (42-14).
Recent Head to Head
Prior to the first lest last week the teams hadn't met since November 2022 when the Boks won 63-21 in Genoa.
Italy's only ever win over the Boks came in November 2016 in Florence (20-18).
Team News
South Africa: 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: 15 Mirko Belloni, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Marco Zanon, 11 Jacopo Trulla, 10 Giacomo De Re, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 Ross Vintcent, 7 Manual Zuliani, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Niccolo Cannone (captain), 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.
The Betting
Updated 11 July 21h24
South Africa -37.5 points at 9/10
Italy +37.5 points at 9/10
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change.
Betting Angle
Posted 11 July 21h31
The handicap has come in a couple of points from -39.5 to -37.5 and I have no firm feel.
The points line is 70.5 and given there was rain today the pitch may be a bit muddy. There is no rain forecast tomorrow though. I am leaning unders but it is the Italy under 16.5 that will be getting some of my bank roll.
I am a big Ethan Hooker fan and will have a nibble he scores the last try off the bench.
BET: 4 units Italy under 16.5 at 17/20 at Sportingbet
BET: 0.5 unit Hooker last try at 9/1 at WSB
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change.
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