The Springboks, Scotland and Samoa get to feel each other out in a Rugby World Cup preview over two years before the main event, with Italy joining in for a three-week, four-nation tournament in South Africa starting on Saturday.
With Scotland’s squad weakened by the British and Irish Lions selection and Samoa starting the tour with a 60-point loss to a provincial team, the Italians could be the Springboks’ toughest challenge.
Scotland play Samoa before South Africa face Italy in the first of three doubleheaders on successive weekends in Durban, Nelspruit and Pretoria – a mid-year competition that offers all four the chance to experiment two years out from England 2015.
Italy, the lowest ranked of the four, enjoyed a fourth-placed finish in the Six Nations – which included wins over France and Ireland – and boast 90-plus Test veterans Sergio Parisse at No.8 and skipper and Marco Bortolami in the second row.
Even the Springboks don’t have that experience, starting new caps Willie le Roux and Jano Vermaak in a new-look backline to continue evolution under coach Heyneke Meyer.
Meyer immediately picked out the subduing of Italy’s hardened pack as the the home side’s first task.
“They have always been exceptionally strong upfront and will test us, especially at scrum time,” Meyer said of the Italians.
“But they also have some superb backs and are very well led by Sergio Parisse, so we know this will not be a walk in the park.”
At Kings Park, Italy will give Argentina-born flyhalf Alberto Di Bernardo his debut, but five of the 15 have played over 50 Tests, and there’s the added weight of Martin Castrogiovanni off the bench. The aim will be to build on the Six Nations, rather than rebuild after it.
By contrast, South Africa fullback Le Roux and scrumhalf Vermaak play their first Tests, centre JJ Engelbrecht makes his first start and left wing Bjorn Basson earns a seventh cap.
Captain Jean de Villiers and wing Bryan Habana are the most experienced members, while Morne Steyn’s return offers him another chance at easing South Africa’s No.10 doubts.
Without Lions Richie Gray, Sean Maitland and Stuart Hogg, Scotland followed the trend by giving debuts to three players for the Samoa game: fullback Greig Tonks, centre Alex Dunbar and hooker Pat MacArthur. There are also three new caps on the bench and starting flyhalf Tom Heathcote has played just one test.
“We want to broaden the base and it gives us the perfect opportunity to see how these guys stand up in Test footy,” Scotland coach Scott Johnson said, with the World Cup forefront in his thinking.
“I’ve said regularly that we’re not going to give test jerseys away but we cannot be exposed to injury issues and the best way to prevent that is to give players opportunities.”
Samoa’s disjointed and at times embarrassing 74-14 loss to Johannesburg’s Lions last weekend, a team that was relegated from Super Rugby, raises worries over their progress.
The typically physical Islanders will get the chance to redeem themselves straight away against Scotland’s experimental lineup.
It’s then Samoa-Italy and South Africa-Scotland the following weekend, with the two leading teams in the mini-league contesting a final at Loftus Versfeld on June 22.
