The Azzurri in turn will be confident after they managed to beat Fiji, while last week, they stunned the Wallabies.

The last time South Africa faced Italy was during the 2019 World Cup in Japan with that match resulting in a 49-3 win for the Boks.

The versatile Springbok loose-forward, Kwagga Smith, said they can't take their 11th ranked opponents lightly.

“Many teams underestimate Italy and when they arrive here and they are surprised in the first few minutes,” said Smith.

“They are a good team and they’ve had good wins this year, so we have to make sure we pitch up with the right mindset and do our best on the field.

“Their results have certainly created awareness among us about the challenge they will pose going into the weekend. Their results against Wales earlier in the year and now Australia on the weekend was a wake-up call to show us that it won’t be easy.

“From our perspective we come off two close results against the first and second ranked teams in the world, and we feel those results could have gone either way, as there were a few errors that cost us as a team,” he said.

“The important thing we took from those games is to make sure we improve on our processes and systems and get better.”

Saturday’s Test between Italy and the Springboks at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium kicks off at 15:00.

Italy – TBA

Springboks - 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nché

Replacements - 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok

Morgan Piek OFM Sport