Springbok Women overcome Italy fightback to claim big win
by KickOff Rugby · KickOffThe Springbok Women hit back in style with a superb 41-29 victory over Italy in their second match of the WXV Global Series at the Stadio Omero Tognon in Pordenone on Saturday afternoon.
After last weekend's disappointing result against Wales, the Bok Women played with purpose and intensity, outscoring their hosts - who are ranked three places higher in the world rankings - by six tries to four.
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It was a victory built yet again on the back of strong set-piece play and superb driving mauls, but there were just enough variations in the Bok Women's game to keep their opponents guessing.
At the same time, they will not be happy with a number of unforced errors, which allowed Italy back into the game in the third quarter, but a step-up in intensity late in the game would have made the Bok Women coaches very happy.
The Italians were out of the blocks first when Alyssa D’Incà scored in the corner following some good handling as they made their first attacking opportunity count.
But the Bok Women were not perturbed and stuck to their guns, with Anushka Groenewald scoring her first Test try 10 minutes in after two very strong lineout drives in the Italian 22. Jakkie Cilliers' conversion gave the visitors a 7-5 lead, but it didn't stay like that for long.
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Only four minutes to be exact, before Byrhandré Dolf ghosted through the defence after good play on attack, including a great run by Cilliers, who added the conversion to make it 14-5 after a quarter of an hour.
They were not done yet, though. Groenewald scored her second try just before the half-hour mark from a sublime 20m maul, with the lineout coming as a direct result of a massive tackle by Alichia Arries which put her direct opponent into touch. The angled conversion sailed wide, but at 19-5, the Bok Women were in control.
Three minutes later, it became 24-5 when Maria Tshiremba raced in for South Africa's fourth try, and her fifth in only three Tests.
Italy made a hash of the restart and then conceded a free kick at the resulting scrum. Unam Tose tapped and fed Libbie Janse van Rensburg, who had replaced Dolf, and her deft chip kick evaded Italian hands, but not Tshiremba's, who didn't need a second invitation as she sped away for the try.
The Bok Women were guilty of a few unforced errors late in the half, which allowed Italy to hit back with a maul try by Vittoria Vecchini on the stroke of half-time, converted by Michela Sillari, which cut South Africa's lead to 12 points at the break.
The opening 20 minutes of the second half belonged to the host team. South Africa lost Yonela Ngxingolo to the sin bin for 10 minutes and Italy responded with two converted tries - D’Incà got her second and Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi also went over - to a penalty goal by Cilliers, which put the Europeans one point behind on the hour mark.
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As the South African replacements were joining the fray, Sillari nailed a penalty goal to give Italy a 29-27 lead with 15 minutes to go, but it was short-lived as Micke Gunter was driven over from a tap penalty with Cilliers adding the extras to make it 34-29 after 70 minutes.
Italy came hard in the final 10 minutes and actually thought they had scored, but a try-saving cover tackle by Maceala Samboya, which was followed by a lineout steal and a superb 45m penalty touch kick by Cilliers, turned the tide in the final moments of the match.
When Logan Welman crashed over from the back of a strong scrum, with Cilliers adding the extras, it was all over and the Springbok Women could celebrate a famous victory on the road.
Scorers
Italy 29 (12) - Tries: Alyssa D’Incà (2), Vittoria Vecchini, Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi. Conversions: Michela Sillari (3). Penalty goal: Sillari.
Springbok Women 41 (24) - Tries: Anushka Groenewald (2), Byrhandré Dolf, Maria Tshiremba, Micke Gunter, Logan Welman. Conversions: Jakkie Cilliers (4). Penalty goal: Cilliers.