Italy’s Joburg-born Ross Vintcent won’t back down against the Springboks
Italy’s Johannesburg-born loose forward Ross Vintcent is eager to face the top-ranked Springboks in Pretoria, drawing on past experiences against South African teams to prepare for the challenging match. Picture: Matthieu Mirville / DPPI via AFP
Image: Matthieu Mirville / DPPI via AFP
Facing the Springboks at the moment is a daunting task for any rugby player, but it’s one that Johannesburg-born Italy loose forward Ross Vintcent will be relishing when the sides clash at Loftus Versfeld, in Pretoria, on Saturday.
Having won the last two Rugby World Cups and already building towards the 2027 edition, the Springboks are a formidable force.
South Africa are also ranked first in the world, with Italy down in 10th.
It means that Italy will be heavy underdogs for the clash, but it’s not too much of a venture into the unknown as Vintcent explains.
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“I was lucky enough to play the Sharks in December. Going up against some of the big names like [Bongi] Mbonambi, [Aphelele] Fassi, and [Andre] Esterhuizen was a cool experience,” told SportsBoom.com
“It definitely helps that a lot of our guys have seen South African opposition in the URC. That experience is crucial, especially in areas like the set piece. Having that exposure to their physical, structured style of play will hopefully put us in good stead.”
Proving himself against Jasper Wiese, Vincent Tshituka, and Marco van Staden and the rest of the Bomb Squad was plenty of motivation for the SA-born flank.
“I am looking forward to testing myself against the best, if I get picked. You always want to challenge yourself against the top players, and South Africa definitely have one of the best back rows in world rugby.”
“Gonzalo is quite an innovative coach. He brings in a lot of experience and a fresh perspective. To some extent, Italy Rugby is on the up under him.”