Jerry Flannery isn’t buying the narrative that Saturday’s Nations Championship opener in Turin will be a procession. Whilst the world rankings suggest a chasm between top-ranked South Africa and 11th-placed Italy, the Springbok assistant coach issued a pointed warning that the Azzurri possess genuine weapons capable of inflicting damage if the visitors aren’t switched on from the first whistle.

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“We still respect them enormously, when they came to Pretoria last year, they were also missing key players and ran us very closely,” Flannery said, immediately shutting down any complacency creeping into the narrative ahead of Saturday’s 13:40 kick-off (SA time).

The former Irish hooker singled out Italy’s set-piece prowess as a primary concern, revealing tactical intelligence that goes beyond mere ranking differential.

“They have a really strong set piece. In fact, their scrum was probably among the best in the Six Nations, and that gives them a significant platform,” Flannery explained. “They’re also a very well-coached team that does the basics extremely well.”

Injuries won’t diminish Italian threat

Italy will field a depleted squad in Turin, missing key personnel including Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello and Sebastian Negri. But Flannery dismissed suggestions that absences would dilute the threat, highlighting the dangerous X-factor still available to Gonzalo Quesada’s side.

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“They still have players like Ange Capuozzo, who can break a game open from nothing,” the Bok coach warned. “Brex is a really good footballer and Menoncello is one of the best centres in the world, but they’ve shown real squad depth.”

His assessment carried specific tactical warnings about Italy’s kicking game and aerial ability: “They have a strong kicking game, with players like Paolo Garbisi, who has an excellent left foot, and they have good aerial players, so we need to be strong in that area. And if there are any scraps off the back of their kicking game, Capuozzo can create something from nothing, so controlling those areas will be key.”

The message to his forwards was equally blunt: “If your players don’t make their first-time tackles, Italy will make metres, and that’s what we saw in Pretoria as well.”

Playoff intensity awaits

Flannery framed the Nations Championship tour as preparation for knockout rugby, with Finals Weekend in London on 29 November representing the culmination of playoff-style intensity.

“I think the tour is a good representation of what’s coming heading into a World Cup year,” he said. “For me it’s almost like knockout rugby, the group stages, Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and Final. It’s that kind of intensity.”

Morne van den Berg will partner Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the halfback combination, with the scrumhalf relishing another opportunity in the green and gold.

“When you get the opportunity to represent the Springboks, it’s incredible,” Van den Berg said. “Every time you get the call-up, you want to take it with both hands.”

He praised the healthy competition with Grant Williams (on the bench Saturday) and Cobus Reinach. “We really push and help each other and that’s the standard we’ll always drive.”

Rankings suggest dominance. Flannery’s warnings suggest otherwise.