Springboks refuse to underestimate injury-hit Italy

The clash at the Allianz Stadium kicks off at 13:40 South African time and marks the start of the November leg of the inaugural Nations Championship.

Italy have been hit by a lengthy injury list, with centre Tommaso Menoncello, scrumhalf Martin Page-Relo, loose forward Sebastian Negri and fullback Lorenzo Pani among those unavailable. However, Flannery believes the Azzurri remain a dangerous opponent, pointing to their strength at set-piece.

"When they came to Pretoria in the summer in the year before last, they were missing a few key players and yet they ran us really closely. They have a really strong set-piece, their scrum is up their with the best in the six nations and that gives them an edge, and I also think they do the basics very little because they are a really well coached team."

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Flannery says the Springboks' European campaign will also serve as an important test of their ability to handle the pressure of knockout rugby. With the Nations Championship Finals Weekend scheduled for London from 27 to 29 November, the matches will offer valuable preparation for the intensity of the competition's closing stages. The tour also comes at an important time as teams begin building towards next year's Rugby World Cup in Australia. 

Meanwhile, Flannery admits the Springboks were unhappy with aspects of their defensive performance in their previous outing. The former Ireland hooker says the coaching staff have placed emphasis on addressing those shortcomings, with Saturday's encounter providing an opportunity for the team to show greater defensive discipline.

"We were very disappointed with the Australia game, although I credit Australia for showing how dangerous they can be but we were disappointing with our own performance. Not a lot of players that featured in that game have been selected for our next game, but that's something that we are always trying to work on from a defensive point of view."

Flannery has also acknowledged a noticeable increase in the number of tries conceded by the Springboks this season. South Africa have been allowing in approximately three tries per match, compared to an average of around two tries during the previous campaign. The defensive coach says it is an area they are continuing to work on.