Player ratings: Only 20
Italy will come away from their 10-44 drubbing at the hands of South Africa on Saturday with some positives.
They will no doubt want to forget the first half and last 20 minutes.
However, the first 20 minutes of the second half saw them score 10 points, including a well-worked try, while completely dominating the Boks.
If they can play like that for 80- minutes, they will be a threat to any top team.
Jan de Koning rates the Italian players!
15 Andrea Masi:
His kicking out of hand was not what you'd expect of a player of his calibre, but he had a few decent runs and made some good ground.
6/10
14 Giovanbattista Venditti:
Was anonymous in the first half had only a handful of runs after the break.
5/10
13 Luca Morisi:
Chased hard and put in some good hits, made all his tackles. Beat a couple of defenders, but didn't really have enough ball.
6/10
12 Alberto Sgarbi:
Did not have many chances with ball in hand and failed to make an impression with the few he did have, but didn't shirk his duties on defence.
5/10
11 Luke McLean:
Had a few runs, without making too much ground, but did his work on defence. Conceded two penalties to spoil what was a reasonable day at the office.
5/10
10 Alberto di Bernardo:
Failed with his first kick at goal, from a very handy position. The Bok ran at his channel often and while he made most of his tackles, did slip a crucial one in the first half. Looked more assured in the second half once Italy got some ball, but threw a shocker that resulted in Basson's try.
5/10
9 Edoardo Gori:
Knocked on with an open line in one of the few first-half chances Italy had and then threw a forward pass off a scrum in a good attacking position. Made no ground with ball in hand and slipped a tackle.
4/10
8 Sergio Parisse (captain):
Tried to spark his team and even took quick taps and chip-kicks and flip-passes through his legs. Was his usual bustling self, but also missed a few tackles.
7/10
7 Robert Barbieri:
He was full of energy, but mostly reduced to a defensive role and slipped a crucial first-half tackle.
6/10
6 Alessandro Zanni:
Made his tackles and won a few line-outs, but struggled to make any ground with the ball in hand.
5/10
5 Marco Bortolami:
Yellow carded after just 12 minutes for repeated infringements, but made his tackles and won all his line-outs.
6/10
4 Antonio Pavanello:
Reduced mostly to a defensive role in the first half, but won a crucial line-out steal midway through the second half.
6/10
3 Lorenzo Cittadini:
Won a crucial turnover penalty late in the first half and made all his tackles, but the pace of the game found him out.
6/10
2 Leonardo Ghiraldini:
Enormous workrate on defence and produced the highest tackle count of the Italians. Was ineffective with the ball in hand.
6/10
1 Alberto de Marchi:
Conceded a free kick and penalty inside the first 10 minutes, but then settled down and got the better of Jannie du Plessis in the scrums.
6/10
Replacements:
16 Davide Giazzon (in for Ghiraldini, 45):
Was solid in the scrums, but lasted only about 20 minutes before running out of puff.
5/10
17 Matias Aguero (on for De Marchi, 45):
Showed his scrumming power, although there was some illegal tactics that went unnoticed.
6/10
18 Martín Castrogiovanni (on for Cittadini, 49):
His usual contribution of powerful scrumming and strong ball carries, but the pace of the game took him out of the equation in the final 10 minutes.
6/10
19 Valerio Bernabò (on for Bortolami, 60):
A very poor workrate and just one decent carry.
5/10
20 Joshua Furno (on for Barbieri, 49):
Showed some great skills for a forward, but his lack of experience and poor workrate showed him up.
5/10
21 Tobias Botes (on for Gori, 60):
Tremendous cover tackle to prevent a JJ Engelbrecht try, but also slipped a couple of tackles.
6/10
22 Luciano Orquera (on for Di Bernardo, 77):
Not enough time to be rated.
23 Tommaso Iannone (on for Morisi, 68):
Not enough time to be rated.
