Bongi Mbonambi has warned that the Springboks can’t afford to take Italy lightly ahead of their Test clash this weekend, drawing on personal experience from South Africa’s only ever loss to the Azzurri.
The veteran hooker was part of the side that suffered a shock 20-18 defeat in Florence in 2016 — a result that remains one of the lowest points in Springbok history. And while a repeat may seem unlikely, Mbonambi believes complacency could be costly.
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“When you represent your country, you always have something to lose, and that applies to both us and them,” said Mbonambi.
“We are expecting a massive battle from them, and we know they are going to come hard at us up front for 80 minutes, so we cannot afford to get comfortable at any stage of the match because they have the potential to cause damage.
The 34-year-old, 77-cap veteran says, “Some may be underestimating them, but as a team, we have a lot to lose if we let ourselves down on the field.”
Mbonambi highlighted Italy’s emotional intensity and work ethic as key traits the Boks will need to match.
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“The Italian pack proved what they can do in the Six Nations, and they are a team that believes in their systems and plays with a lot of passion.”
“They also have a coach in Gonzalo Quesada who drives that passion. They may have a smaller group of players to choose from compared to South Africa with so few clubs, but they are hard-working players, and we are expecting a tough day at the office,” said Mbonambi.
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