Number eight Jasper Wiese was red-carded in the 22nd minute for a headbutt on Danil Fischetti, but even playing against 14 men couldn’t lift the Italians’ game.

Grant Williams scored the opening try after just eight minutes, with winger Edwill van der Merwe adding another one soon after. The Boks barely seemed to register they were a man down after Wiese’s red card with Van der Merwe scoring his second try – converted by Manie Libbok –  not long after.   Canan Moodie scored South Africa’s fourth try before the break with Libbok.s second conversion making it 24-0 at half-time.

South Africa were briefly down to 13 men early in the second half as prop Wilco Louw was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Sebastian Negri, but Fischetti soon joined him to reduce Italy’s advantage.

‘Clinching the two Test-series 2-0’

Malcolm Marx, Makazole Mapimpi and Jan-Hendrick Wessels all scored in the second half as South Africa extended their record of never losing a Test in Gqeberha, clinching the two Test-series 2-0.

For his brace of tries, Edwill van der Merwe was deservedly named Player of the Match. And a little family history was also made during this Test– Jasper and Cobus Wiese became the 37th set of brothers to play for South Africa.

South Africa face Georgia who lost by 24-20 to the Cheetahs over the weekend next week in Mbombela.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger dg