Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick have thrown their full support behind Ethan Hooker and Marco Van Staden as they prepare to make the most of their opportunity and show their worth against Italy on Saturday.
Van Staden, selected in the number 8 role, is set to have a field day as he can cover at the hooker role, having done so during the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France after Malcolm Marx picked up an injury.
Having played alongside Hooker at the Sharks, Kolisi believes he is ready to make a strong statement at the international level.
“I back him everywhere,” Kolisi said.
“He loves rugby and he’s a big man – he’s taller than me and roughly the same weight. He’s not scared of the physical side of the game. I’m excited to see what he and Canan are going to do. They’ll be up against two tough centres, but I back them all day long. I’m really looking forward to seeing what he produces.”
Stick shed light on the expectation for van Staden in the clash, confirming the ongoing project to develop him as a backup hooker.
“Marco has been with us for a couple of seasons. It was always the plan for him to be the backup hooker – doing extra work and developing extra skills. It’s a project that has been happening for a while, and we’re comfortable with him in that role,” Stick explained.
He added, “They don’t call Marco ‘Eskom’ for nothing. He’s incredibly tough, plays with his heart, and he’s a breakdown specialist. He’ll play a big role there, especially since Italy has many fetchers. It will be tough, especially with the ball in hand. If you give Italy a quick ball at the breakdown, their backs will punish you.”
With several changes and new combinations named for this match, there has been outside speculation that the game may serve as an assessment of some players to determine if they have what it takes to make it at this level. Stick strongly dismissed any notion of the Test being a trial.
“There is no trial for any players when it comes to the Springbok jersey,” he affirmed. “Some guys are getting an opportunity for the first time on this tour and would love to prove themselves, but I wouldn’t call Italy a trial. We saw what they did against Australia.”
The Springbok assistant coach cautioned against applying labels to either team.
“When Italy came to South Africa, they brought what some called their B team, but we didn’t see it that way. We have players like Gaza (Damian Willemse) and Handre (Pollard) playing – guys who have World Cups under their belts – so we can’t call this a B team either. These are Springbok players getting their opportunity to represent the jersey.”
With Italy on the rise and optimistic of their chances – and the Boks fielding a blend of experience and emerging talent, Stick expects a fierce contest.
“One thing is for sure, Italy are in a good space.”
The four-time World Cup champion Springboks take on Italy at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. The game kicks off at 14h40 (SA time), and the match will be broadcast live and exclusively on SuperSport.
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