Fullback Damian Willemse praised his teammates’ composure after the Springboks once again had to grind out a Test victory with 14 men.
The Boks scored four tries in slippery conditions to beat Italy 32-14 in Turin, despite losing lock Franco Mostert to a straight red card just 11 minutes into the match for a dangerous tackle on Paolo Garbisi – a decision many analysts have already questioned.
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Willemse, now just three Tests away from reaching 50 caps, said the team’s response under pressure made the performance memorable.
“It was amazing – a great performance. You’ve got to give it to the team. Italy put us under pressure but we came up with good solutions and plans. I’m taking credit for Man of the Match, but that was a full team effort.
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“We knew we had to show character, and the boys did that. I’m very proud of the team and how we came up with solutions. I’m going to look back at this one for a long time – I’m very happy.”
Willemse said Italy tested the Boks in every department throughout the game.
“Italy’s got a good kicking game. They’re an all-court team and they showed that tonight. They put us under a lot of pressure in the maul, at the set-piece, on defence, they’ve got a good attack and obviously their kicking game.”
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The Springboks now shift focus to a blockbuster showdown with Ireland next week at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Photo: Timothy Rogers/Getty Images
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