South Africa beats Italy 66-7 after dominant first half

South Africa beat Italy 66-7 in Turin on November 7, 2026, after scoring 45 unanswered points in a dominant first half of their Nations Championship match. Italy improved after the break, scoring seven points, while South Africa added 21.

The Springboks established control through their forward play and quick ball, and had built a 45-0 lead by halftime. South Africa scored six tries in the opening half, according to match accounts, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu opening the scoring inside the first 10 minutes. Malcolm Marx scored twice from lineout drives, and Siya Kolisi also crossed before the interval.

South Africa’s first-half advantage was reflected in the territorial and possession figures reported for that period: the Springboks had 65 per cent of the ball and 60 per cent of the territory. One match analysis recorded 37 South African carries for 252 metres, compared with Italy’s 13 carries for 60 metres. The same account said South Africa won all 36 of its first-half rucks; those detailed figures were reported in one analysis.

The match became more competitive after halftime. South Africa made several substitutions, while Italy increased its attacking pressure and scored a...