Springbok defence under the spotlight in Nations Championship

Flannery acknowledged the challenge of stemming the flow of points being conceded by the Springboks while stressing respect for an Italy side that arrives with a strong set-piece and dangerous individuals ahead of their Nations Championship clash on Saturday.

Reflecting on broader trends in the modern game, Flannery noted that higher scoring has become the norm across Test rugby.

"It's the way the game is going. I think if you went back to even the previous year, my first year with the Boks, we conceded less points," he said.

"I think for every single team in the world, they've all been conceding more points. So defence coaches are all under the pump, but we're trying to fix that as we go along."

The Springboks will not be taking their clash against Italy lightly and Flannery was clear that the Azzurri demand full respect.

"We respect them massively. When they came to Pretoria, the year before last, they were missing some key players as well," he said.

"They have a really strong set-piece. Their scrum is probably up there with one of the best in the Six Nations. That gives them a big advantage going into the game.

"They are also a very well-coached team who do the basics very well. They still have players like utility back Ange Capuozzo, who can break a game open if you give him half a chance.

"Obviously, they will miss Brex because he is a really good footballer, while Menoncello is one of the best centres in the world and incredibly powerful.

"But Italy have shown that they are building depth in their squad, and coming into the World Cup, that will benefit them in the long term as those players gain more Test caps. We've identified some dangerous individuals, but they are a really well-coached team.

"We're looking at defending them as a team rather than just defending the individuals."

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