'The World Cup left a bad taste': Sara Mannini and Italy ready for Springbok Women rematch

Sara Mannini has experienced plenty of changes over the past few months. But happily for her and the rest of the Italy squad, one thing that didn’t change was maintaining their winning ways by defeating Japan in their opening WXV Global Series fixture.

It means Italy have won three of their last four fixtures, with the 55-21 victory added to their wins over Scotland and Wales in the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Mannini played the full 80 minutes at Stadio Omero Tognon in Italy’s north-east, and it is an exciting time for the 21-year-old.

For one thing, there is a new national coach after Plinio Sciamanna succeeded Fabio Roselli in August. Once national team duties are over, Mannini will head to her new club and move to a new country when she joins up with Harlequins in the JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby.

“We all know it is the strongest league in the world and will give me the chance to challenge myself against players I wouldn’t face in Italy,” Mannini told RugbyPass.

“I am joining a team with lots of young players, but with an experienced staff who want to keep us at the highest level. It will be a big challenge, but I can’t wait to get started.”

At the forefront of their thoughts right now is Italy’s second WXV Global Series match, against South Africa in the same location and it is a match that is laced with meaning for Mannini and her teammates.

At Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, it was South Africa who eliminated Italy. The Azzurre lost to France in the opening fixture, but a slow start allowed South Africa to grab the initiative with two tries, and while they fought back in the second half, they couldn’t find a response to Sinazo Mcatshulwa’s try and were out.

“The World Cup left a bad taste in the mouth,” Mannini said. “On Saturday we want to right the record, and I want to make up for missing the quarter-finals of the World Cup, so I can’t wait for Saturday.

“We want to make up for losing to them in the World Cup. It will be a tricky match, but we are ready to dig in and continue what we have been doing to be as best prepared as possible.”

The omens are better this time than ahead of Italy’s clash with South Africa at York Community Stadium.

Italy’s win over Japan was very impressive with 10 tries which meant winning starts for their new coach and new captain, full-back Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi.

They hit their stride early with the first of Aura Muzzo’s two tries arriving two minutes in and Alessandra Frangipani then dotted down for a second before the 10-minute mark. Especially pleasing was their ability to play the quick off-loading game that leaves even the best teams struggling to catch them when they pull it off.

They have also not had to move location. Both tests are taking place in Fontanafredda, meaning the fuss and fatigue of uprooting, travelling, and starting anew is avoided.

“We worked really hard ahead of the match against Japan, and we rediscovered our belief in each other after a few months apart,” Mannini said. “That was one of our main objectives, along with our style of play, and team unity. So, we’re very pleased with that, especially as we started so well.

“We are team that wants to play quickly and be on the front foot and play with continuity. We know that mistakes will be made, but we need to understand why they happen. I didn’t expect this result, but to score two tries in the first 10 minutes meant we knew we had the chance to do something special.

“Wearing the Italian shirt is a special feeling and means you are determined in everything you do both individually and collectively. Coming back together for the first time since the Six Nations, playing at home with fans packing the stands and shouting for Italy gives you even more determination.”

Once the match is over on Saturday, Italy will turn their focus to two tough Tests away to the USA Eagles in Texas and Tennessee on 18 and 25 October.

The Pisa-born Mannini will then finally run out in a Harlequins shirt in November, having been officially unveiled in July. She leaves Colorno after she was named the Serie A Elite Player of the Season for the 2025/26 campaign.

Her arrival takes Quins’ Italy contingent to two, alongside prop Silvia Turani who helped facilitate Mannini’s move to south-west London. It also sets up a mouth-watering continental centre pairing with Spain’s Clàudia Peña Hidalgo.

“Silvia messaged me and said Harlequins head of coaching [Ross Chisholm] wanted to speak to me,” Mannini said. “From there we had a video call, and I was a little nervous as I didn’t know what a call with a big English club would be like. It was better than I thought and I said yes.

“The chance to play for Harlequins would help my development and so I signed. I visited from 10 to 12 August to see where I was going and to meet the staff and the players. It helped to see I was going somewhere where everyone has faith in me and where I can develop.”