Italy have not won a Nations Championship match. They have not come within 20 points of one either. Across July’s southern-hemisphere leg they lost to Japan, New Zealand and Australia by an aggregate of 131 points conceded and 37 scored, leaving them bottom of the Northern Hemisphere table on zero championship points.

Kick-off at the Allianz Stadium is at 12:40pm local time. The visitors are the world’s No. 1 side, unbeaten in the tournament after beating England 45-21, Scotland 42-28 and Wales 43-0 in July. South Africa sit top of the Southern Hemisphere standings on 15 points, level with New Zealand but with a points difference of +81 to the All Blacks’ +51.

Full-strength Springboks in Turin

Head coach Rassie Erasmus has not treated this fixture as a rest week. Captain Siya Kolisi leads a front-line pack that includes Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Thomas du Toit, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortje, Jasper Wiese and Pieter-Steph du Toit.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu starts at fly-half behind a backline of scrum-half Morné van den Berg, Ethan Hooker, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Damian Willemse. Manie Libbok, who has confirmed his return to South African rugby with the Sharks from mid-2027, is named among the replacements.

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With the finals weekend at Twickenham looming on November 27 to 29, the Springboks need the four points to keep their grip on top spot. New Zealand are shadowing them on an identical 15; any slip in Turin changes who meets whom in London.

Italy without 16 regulars

The Azzurri walk in badly depleted. Sixteen players are unavailable, including regular captain Michele Lamaro, with forwards Sebastian Negri and Andrea Zambonin also out. Hooker Giacomo Nicotera leads the side for only the second time in his career.

Quesada does hand Monty Ioane his 50th Test cap for the Azzurri. The Australian-born wing starts in a back three alongside Ange Capuozzo and Mirko Belloni, with Leonardo Marin and Paolo Odogwu in midfield. Paolo Garbisi runs the attack at fly-half.

Ireland’s Eoghan Cross is the referee.

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France and Ireland still to come

Italy host Argentina at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa on November 14 and Fiji at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine on November 21. South Africa fly on to Saint-Denis to meet France at the Stade de France on November 13, then travel to Dublin for Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on November 21.

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