Italy vs South Africa Result: Springboks Win 66–7 — Nov. 7, 2026

Result verified: November 7, 2026, 3:38 p.m. in Turin, Central European Time (CET, UTC+01:00); 14:38 UTC. This is the time the completed-match reporting was checked, not the original publication time.

South Africa beat Italy 66–7 at Allianz Stadium in Turin on Saturday, November 7, in round four of the 2026 Nations Championship. The Springboks scored nine tries, led 45–0 at halftime, and secured a fourth consecutive bonus-point victory in the competition. Italy's only try came from lock Federico Ruzza in the second half.

The result extends South Africa's unbeaten start and significantly improves its points difference in the southern-hemisphere standings. Italy fell to four defeats from four matches in the northern group. The final score and key scorers were confirmed in Reuters' November 7 match report.

Destaques

• Final score: Italy 7–66 South Africa; halftime 0–45.
• Scoring: Nine Springbok tries, including two from Malcolm Marx; Federico Ruzza scored Italy's lone try.
• Standings impact: South Africa moves to four wins and 20 competition points, with a +140 points difference after its latest bonus-point victory.
• Kickoff and venue: November 7, 2026, at 12:40 p.m. in Turin, CET (UTC+01:00), equal to 11:40 UTC, at Allianz Stadium.

What was the final score of Italy vs South Africa?

The completed match ended Italy 7, South Africa 66. South Africa's first-half advantage of 45 points came from six converted tries and a penalty. The Springboks added three more converted tries after the interval, while Italy responded with one converted try of its own. South Africa won the try count nine to one.

Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu opened the scoring with a penalty, scored South Africa's first try and converted all nine Springbok tries. His goal-kicking yielded 21 points, and with his own try he accounted for 26 of his team's 66 points. His accuracy underlined the team's control of the contest, although South Africa's dominance was also built on repeated forward pressure and efficient finishing.

How did South Africa take a 45–0 halftime lead?

South Africa established control early through its pack, territorial pressure and the playmaking of Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Scrum-half Morne van den Berg, hooker Malcolm Marx, captain Siya Kolisi and fullback Damian Willemse all crossed in the opening period. Marx scored twice before the interval, accounting for two of the six first-half tries.

Italy had limited opportunities to build sustained attacks before halftime. The hosts were already dealing with several unavailable first-choice players, and South Africa's ability to turn close-range possession into tries exposed the gap between the teams on the day. That context helps explain the margin but does not by itself establish a single cause for the defeat.

South Africa's replacement forwards made an immediate contribution in the second half. Prop Wilco Louw scored the seventh Springbok try. Italy's best spell then produced a try for Federico Ruzza, supplied after a move involving replacement scrum-half Stephen Varney; Tommaso Allan converted. South Africa closed the match with tries from Paul de Villiers and Ethan Hooker.

Who scored the tries in Italy vs South Africa?

South Africa's nine tries: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu; Morne van den Berg; Malcolm Marx (two); Siya Kolisi; Damian Willemse; Wilco Louw; Paul de Villiers; and Ethan Hooker. All nine tries were converted by Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who also kicked the opening penalty.

Italy's try: Federico Ruzza, converted by Tommaso Allan. The scores and scorer identities are supported by the completed-match reporting; no additional Italy tries or scoring incidents are being inferred.

Which players started for Italy and South Africa?

Italy captain Giacomo Nicotera led the host team's named starting XV, while Siya Kolisi captained the Springboks. There was one important change to South Africa's previously announced team: Salmaan Moerat withdrew before kickoff; Lood de Jager started at lock and Franco Mostert joined the replacements. The table below reflects that match-day change rather than simply repeating the original preview selections.

Who were the replacements?

Italy (16–23): Tommaso Di Bartolomeo; Danilo Fischetti; Ion Neculai; Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi; Ross Vintcent; Manuel Zuliani; Stephen Varney; Tommaso Allan.

South Africa (16–23): Jan-Hendrik Wessels; Gerhard Steenekamp; Wilco Louw; Franco Mostert; Cameron Hanekom; Paul de Villiers; Grant Williams; Manie Libbok.

Both match-day benches contained six forwards and two backs. The original South African team announcement remains available from SA Rugby, while the official match center is the appropriate reference for competition records and any subsequent lineup corrections.

What does the 66–7 result mean for the Nations Championship standings?

South Africa entered round four with 15 competition points and a +81 points difference after three July wins. Scoring nine tries in Turin meant the Springboks earned the four points for victory plus the four-try bonus point. Their four-match total therefore rises to 20 points, and the 59-point victory moves their points difference to +140.

Italy entered this fixture without a standings point. With only one try and a 59-point defeat, the Azzurri collected neither a try-scoring nor a losing bonus point, leaving them on zero points after four matches. The tables are organized by northern and southern groups, not a single combined 12-team league. South Africa's lead over New Zealand can still change as other round-four fixtures are completed; the Turin victory alone does not secure a place in the final.

The standard points system is detailed by the Welsh Rugby Union's competition explainer, and fans can check the World Rugby standings for further results and any revised ranking. The 20-point and +140 figures are calculations from the verified pre-match table and confirmed final score, rather than a claim that every official table had already refreshed.

When and where did Italy vs South Africa take place?

The match took place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy. The scheduled kickoff was 12:40 p.m. Turin time, Central European Time (CET, UTC+01:00), or 11:40 UTC. Turin had returned to standard time after the October daylight-saving change. That was 11:40 a.m. in London (GMT, UTC+00:00) and 1:40 p.m. in South Africa (SAST, UTC+02:00).

The date, venue and planned kickoff were published by the Italian Rugby Federation. World Rugby appointed Eoghan Cross as the referee, with James Doleman and Sam Grove-White as assistant referees and Brett Cronan as television match official.

What happens next for South Africa and Italy?

South Africa's next scheduled Nations Championship fixture is against France on Friday, November 13, at Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The Springboks then face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, November 21. With two pool matches remaining after Turin, South Africa has strengthened its position in the southern group, but the final qualification race still depends on those results and New Zealand's performances.

Italy is due to play Argentina in Genoa on November 14 and Fiji in Udine on November 21. A response in those fixtures would matter for its northern-table placing and its opponent on the competition's November 27–29 finals weekend in London, where teams meet counterparts finishing in the same positions in the opposite group.

FAQ

Who won Italy vs South Africa on November 7, 2026?

South Africa won 66–7 at Allianz Stadium in Turin in round four of the Nations Championship.

How many tries did South Africa score against Italy?

The Springboks scored nine tries, including two by Malcolm Marx, and converted all nine. Italy scored one try through Federico Ruzza.

What time did Italy vs South Africa kick off?

The scheduled kickoff was 12:40 p.m. Turin CET (UTC+01:00) on November 7, 2026, equivalent to 11:40 UTC. The match has now finished.