Springboks won't use Rassie drama as tonic for toppling Italy: 'We're playing for SA'

In stark contrast to how he bullishly handled the initial frenzy over Rassie Erasmus' Lions video last year, Springbok skipper Siya Kolisi remained straight-faced and diplomatic about the former's latest sanctioning by World Rugby.

Asked about Erasmus' two-match ban on at least three different occasions on Friday during his media engagement ahead of Saturday's meeting with Italy in Genoa, the flanker insisted that the national team has been single-minded in its determination to just focus on the Test match itself. 

That is, perhaps, the best way of approaching what has been another hugely disruptive build-up, especially since the Boks have the added pressure of a tour record that reads 0 from 2.

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"We've had two tough games. It's a big game for us, we can't afford to go three games without a win. We've given the respect to Italy that they deserve and all we're focusing on is trying to beating them. It's been hard to do for other teams, like the recent results have shown," said Kolisi.

"Things [like the Erasmus] happen. We have to just keep on doing what we're doing."

Given how the South Africans rallied last weekend against France after Pieter-Steph du Toit was shown his red card for a dangerous cleanout, the Italians will perhaps be wary of their opponents merely swopping their star blindside flanker with their director of rugby as their source of inspiration.

But Kolisi rubbished such a suggestion.

Italy

15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Pierre Bruno, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Montanna Ioane, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (captain), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Pietro