Flannery Warns Springboks Of Nations Championship Danger In Turin

Jerry Flannery has spoken highly of Italy ahead of the Springboks’ opening match of the Nations Championship Northern Series in Turin on Saturday, describing the Azzurri as a quality side with a strong set piece and dangerous backs.

The Springbok assistant coach made it clear that the world champions are expecting a tough encounter against the Italians, who he believes possess several threats that South Africa will need to contain.

The Springboks may be ranked first in the world, with Italy sitting 11th, but Flannery warned that their opponents could pose significant challenges through both their forward pack and backline.

Italy will be without several key players due to injury, including Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello and Sebastian Negri, among others. However, Flannery insisted that they would still field a strong team, with their replacements capable of bringing a different dimension to the side.

“We still respect them enormously – when they came to Pretoria last year, they were also missing key players and ran us very closely,” said Flannery.

“They have a really strong set piece. In fact, their scrum was probably among the best in the Six Nations, and that gives them a significant platform.

“They’re also a very well-coached team that does the basics extremely well. They still have players like Ange Capuozzo, who can break a game open from nothing.

“Brex is a really good footballer and Menoncello is one of the best centres in the world, but they’ve shown real squad depth, and going into a World Cup year, giving more players caps will benefit them long term, so we’re looking at defending them as a team, not just individuals.”

Asked what the Springboks expected from Italy on Saturday, the former Irish hooker said:

“If your players don’t make their first-time tackles, Italy will make metres, and that’s what we saw in Pretoria as well.

“They have a strong kicking game, with players like Paolo Garbisi, who has an excellent left foot, and they have good aerial players, so we need to be strong in that area. And if there are any scraps off the back of their kicking game, Capuozzo can create something from nothing, so controlling those areas will be key.”

With the top nations from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres set to face one another during Finals Weekend in London at the end of the month, the next-ranked teams will also meet in their respective hemispheres ahead of the final match on Sunday, 29 November.

Flannery believes the competition will provide a taste of the intensity expected in a World Cup year, likening the format to the demands of knockout rugby.

“I think the tour is a good representation of what’s coming heading into a World Cup year,” said Flannery.

“The squad must get together and play games consistently in a short period of time. We’re not yet sure how much we’ll rotate through this period, but for me it’s almost like knockout rugby – the group stages, Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and Final. It’s that kind of intensity.”

The Bok assistant coach was also confident that the players were gelling well, having completed two training sessions so far this week and spent much of the international season together.

“I don’t think it’s easy, but I believe it’s fairly similar for most teams competing in the Nations Championship,” said Flannery.

“We were together for a long time previously, and a lot of the current squad were part of that entire period. Obviously, you always want to evolve, but a lot of what we worked on is still fairly fresh in the players’ minds, so it’s a case of getting them together and not overloading them but reminding them about how we do things when we are in Bok camp.”

Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg, who will partner Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the halfback combination, was equally excited about returning to action in the green and gold.

“I’m really enjoying it – my body feels good, and I feel sharp,” said Van den Berg.

“When you get the opportunity to represent the Springboks, it’s incredible. Every time you get the call-up, you want to take it with both hands. So, to be able to play more is an absolute blessing. And when I play for my club, that’s also an opportunity to put my hand up and show what I can do. To play more at both levels is massive.”

Van den Berg added that the competition between himself, Grant Williams, who will start on the bench on Saturday, and Cobus Reinach was healthy and helped all three scrumhalves push one another to perform at their best.

“It’s good. We really push and help each other, and that’s the standard we’ll always drive. So, the competition is strong, and I think that only benefits the team.”