FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Italy v South Africa - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - November 15, 2025 Italy and South Africa players in a huddle before the match REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Italy v South Africa - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - November 15, 2025 Italy and South Africa players in a huddle before the match REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File Photo
Nov 5 : Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada hailed South Africa's Rassie Erasmus as the best coach in world rugby, saying his side would need to be unpredictable to stand any chance of unsettling the world champions in Saturday's Nations Championship match in Turin.
Italy lost all three games in the competition in July and now host a formidable side who have selected their strongest line-up despite matches against France and Ireland still to come.
"It doesn't happen often that South Africa puts out the best team against Italy," Quesada told reporters on Thursday.
"The fact that they do it despite playing next Friday, therefore with one less day of rest, against France is a sign of great respect.
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"Erasmus is the best coach in the world and he has always been very kind to Italy and to me personally. He knows the reality of our national team and knows our challenges, so he knows how to evaluate our performance very well.
"If we really want to be in the game we have to be at the highest level and at the same time look for different, more unpredictable strategies, movements and ways of playing."
Italy are missing several important players through injury. Captain Michele Lamaro, centre pairing Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex, as well as Sebastian Negri and Louis Lynagh are all absent.
Quesada, however, still selected experienced players such as scrumhalf Stephen Varney, prop Danilo Fischetti, number eight Ross Vintcent and flyhalf Tommaso Allan among the replacements.
"I understand that seeing some players on the bench who we are used to always seeing as starters can surprise," Quesada said.
"But take Fischetti, he comes from six consecutive games, we thought it was better not to let him make another four in a row as a starter.
"As for scrumhalf, we chose (Alessandro) Fusco because he arrived with the best preparation, while Varney had to go back and forth from England, as well as many others."
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