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Italy player ratings vs South Africa | Quilter Nations Series 2025
By Ian Cameron
Italy player ratings: A lack of control and execution undermined Italy’s high-risk approach in the wet as Gonzalo Quesada’s side fell 14–32 to a 14-man South Africa in Turin.
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The Azzurri matched the world champions for physicality early on and even struck through Ange Capuozzo, but wayward goal-kicking, soft turnovers and a late surge of Bok power turned a promising contest into another missed opportunity.
Here’s how we rated the Italy players:
1. Danilo Fischetti – 7.5
Got change out of the rookie Bok tighthead and forced Erasmus to hook Zach Porthen after 18 minutes. Anchored an Italian scrum that held its own and occasionally squeezed penalties out of the world champions. Solid involvement around the park in filthy conditions.
2. Giacomo Nicotera – 7
Brave shift. Threw straight under pressure and stood up physically as the intensity rose. Didn’t take a backward step against the Bok pack and stuck his tackles. Replaced on 56 after emptying the tank.
3. Marco Riccioni – 6
Scrummed well but produced a moment of pure madness on 29 minutes when he slapped a loose ball back wildly, nearly gifting the Boks an intercept for absolutely no good reason. Leave that to the backs, big man. Otherwise part of a front-row that competed hard.
4. Niccolò Cannone – 6
Worked away without fuss, threw himself into collisions and helped maintain parity early, but the Bok power game began to tell.
5. Andrea Zambonin – 6
A workmanlike outing: lineout work tidy enough and handled the close-quarter exchanges.
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6. Ross Vintcent – 7
Tackled himself sore and carried into traffic willingly. Took a nasty shoulder/arm knock and was off by 53, but until then was one of Italy’s more honest workers.
7. Manuel Zuliani – 7.5
Italy’s best forward. Outstanding at the breakdown with multiple turnovers and constant nuisance value. Carried hard and set a real tone defensively. A proper groundhog display.
8. Lorenzo Cannone – 5
Physicality was there but discipline wasn’t. Yellow-carded for an upright challenge that hurt Italy just as the Boks were wrestling back momentum. A few good carries but overshadowed by the card.
9. Stephen Varney – 6
Safe hands in the rain and box-kicked well, especially the contestables. Service was slow at times, granting the Boks the extra heartbeat they love to exploit. Replaced after 65.
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10. Paolo Garbisi – 4.5
Mixed bag. Took the ball to the line sharply and set up Capuozzo’s try, but his kicking off the tee was poor — several misses that kept 14-man South Africa comfortable. Took a heavy head shot from Mostert for the red card but never quite controlled the contest.
11. Monty Ioane – 7
Italy’s most reliable territorial outlet. Strong in the air, smart with his chase lines and carried with intent. Helped keep the Boks pinned back on several occasions.
12. Tommaso Menoncello – 6
Carried hard and front-footed early, but the sloppiness crept in. Too profligate with possession and guilty of turnovers. Not stopping Morne van der Berg from close range will annoy him.
13. Juan Ignacio Brex – 7
Italy’s most composed back. Mixed his passing and grubbers cleverly to turn the Boks, and defended stoutly. His variety caused problems throughout the first half.
14. Louis Lynagh – 7
Didn’t see much quality ball in the wet but delivered a few superb defensive moments. Excellent mark under pressure and a monster 50-metre clearing kick. Won a key contest in the air on 46 minutes.
15. Ange Capuozzo – 7.5
Italy’s spark. Broke the line twice, including his well-taken try on 64 minutes. Brought real pace and ambition to a game otherwise bogged down by conditions. Threatened whenever the defence fractured.
Replacements – 5
No one shifted the momentum as the Boks, even with 14, grew stronger. Plenty of effort but little impact as South Africa’s fresh legs and heavier artillery took control of the final quarter.
