Chronicle EditorFLORENCE. — Italy’s first ever win over South Africa impressed the entire rugby world, with one large exception — everyone in South Africa. The Springboks’ slump continued with a 20-18 defeat in Florence, a week after a heavy loss to England at Twickenham and not long after two thumpings by the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship.And enough, it seems, is enough for South African newspaper Die Burger, which awarded every single Springbok player a mark of zero out of 10 for their performances in defeat by the Azurri.
Even the legendary Bryan Habana was not spared the wrath of the paper, with the World Cup wining wing receiving just as much scathing criticism as his team-mates.
From No 1 to 15, every man did not merit even one positive mark, according to Die Burger. The men in the firing line were: Tendai Mtawarira, Adriaan Strauss, Vincent Koch, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Lood de Jager, Nizaam Carr, Willem Alberts, Warren Whiteley, Rudy Paige, Pat Lambie, Habana, Damian de Allende, Francois Venter, Ruan Combrinck and Willie le Roux.
Carr’s performance was deemed so bad that he attracted the question: ‘Was he on the field?’
The most positive verdict was pased on De Jager, the giant lock, whose performance was assessed thus: “Was one of the team’s better players, though he was still very far from his best. Can at least say it looked as if he tried.”
But still he didn’t receive a mark for effort.
South Africa had won the previous 12 matches between the two nations until Saturday, but Giovanbattista Venditti’s second-half try put Italy ahead, and the Azzurri held on for a famous victory
Coach Allister Coetzee will be hoping to salvage some pride with a much-needed win over Wales at the Principality Stadium tomorrow — Daily Mail.
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