Italy may be pointless after three matches in the Nations Championship, but South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus is wary of the Azzurri ahead of a clash in Turin on Saturday.
Having secured bonus-point home wins over England, Scotland and Wales in July, the world champion Springboks face away Tests against Italy, France and Ireland on consecutive weekends.
Depending where they finish in the southern hemisphere table, South Africa will complete a four-match tour of Europe with a play-off during the November 27-29 finals weekend in London.
The record four-time Rugby World Cup title-holders lead arch rivals New Zealand on points difference with both having a maximum 15 points.
Erasmus, a key figure in the 2019 and 2023 World Cup triumphs in Yokohama and Paris, has long been a fan of Italy, and their Argentine coach Gonzalo Quesada.
Before Italy hosted England in the Six Nations Championship this year, Erasmus correctly predicted the Azzurri would beat their rivals for the first time.
"Italy may be ranked 11th in the world, but they are a quality team who have tested us to the limit at times," Erasmus told reporters before flying to Europe.
"They will be playing at home in front of a passionate crowd and be desperate to improve in the second half of the league phase. We dare not underestimate them."
Italy will be the first opponents when South Africa seek an unprecedented third straight World Cup triumph in Australia from October next year.
Erasmus has named a 37-man squad, captained by flanker Siya Kolisi, and including 16 World Cup winners.
Notable absentees through injury are wing Cheslin Kolbe, the leading Springboks scorer this season with 44 points, and veteran lock Eben Etzebeth.
Kurt-Lee Arendse and Ethan Hooker are the probable first choice wings with Kolbe missing. Lood de Jager and Salmaan Moerat are potential replacements for Etzebeth.
Centre/flanker Andre Esterhuizen and 40-year-old hooker/flanker Deon Fourie are other casualties. Both will be sorely missed because of their versatility.
Lock RG Snyman and loose forward Kwagga Smith, who is leaving Japan to join the Bulls in Pretoria, have been ruled out of the entire 2026 season with injuries.
There are 11 Japan-based Springboks in the latest squad, but that figure is set to shrink as star hooker Malcolm Marx is heading home, probably to the Bulls.
"Due to family circumstances, I made the difficult decision not to extend my contract (with Kubota Spears) after the 2026/27 season," the reigning Rugby Player of the Year said.
While Marx has been consistently outstanding this year, Erasmus struggles when it comes to back-up hookers.
For the looming Nations Championship campaign, he has chosen Jan-Hendrik Wessels from the Bulls, who can also operate as a loosehead prop.
Bongi Mbonambi, a long-time understudy to Marx and a double World Cup winner, has been inactive due to undisclosed disciplinary issues at Durban outfit the Sharks.
He recently went back to former team the Stormers in Cape Town, but a planned return to action off the bench at the weekend failed to materialise due to an injury.
Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar has been in and out of the national squad and Andre-Hugo Venter of the Stormers, a son of Springboks legend Andre Venter, was also tested.
After confronting Italy, South Africa tackle northern hemisphere table toppers France in Paris on November 13, then Ireland in Dublin eight days later.
"France will throw everything at us as usual -- it is never easy against them. Then, Ireland will present an equally stern challenge," warned Erasmus.
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