South Africa Faces Italy in Test Showdown
The Springboks meet Italy on Saturday, 7 November 2026, with a possible impact on New Zealand's bid for the No. 1 ranking.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Soccer
South Africa will play Italy in a Nations Championship match on Saturday, 7 November 2026, at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. South Africa is ranked No. 1 in World Rugby's latest rankings with 93.09 points, while New Zealand, playing Scotland the same day, has 92.27 points.
Why it matters
The result could shift the World Rugby No. 1 ranking, since New Zealand's match against Scotland could determine whether South Africa keeps the top spot. Points are penalized based on the margin of any South Africa loss or a draw after 80 minutes.
South Africa has won 18 of 19 Tests against Italy, with its only defeat a 20-18 loss in Florence on 19 November 2016. Both South Africa and New Zealand have 15 points after three rounds of the Nations Championship, and the margin of any South Africa loss will decide whether it forfeits two or three ranking points.
The players
Rassie Erasmus
Rassie Erasmus is the head coach of the South African national rugby team, the Springboks, and is expected to name the squad for this match.
South African national rugby team (Springboks)
The Springboks are the South African national men's rugby union team, currently ranked No. 1 in the world by World Rugby.
Italian national rugby team
The Italian national rugby union team is the national side of Italy, currently ranked 11th in the world by World Rugby.
New Zealand national rugby team (All Blacks)
The All Blacks are the New Zealand national men's rugby union team, whose result against Scotland on the same day could affect South Africa's top ranking.
The details
The match will be played at the Allianz Stadium in Turin and will be screened live on SuperSport. Rassie Erasmus is expected to name the Springbok match-day squad on Monday at 18:30 South African time.
Timeline
19 November 2016: South Africa lost 20-18 to Italy in Florence.
Monday before the match, at 18:30 South African time: Rassie Erasmus is expected to name the Springbok match-day squad.
Saturday, 7 November 2026, 13:40 South African time: South Africa vs Italy kicks off.
Saturday, 7 November 2026, 16:10 South African time: Scotland vs New Zealand kicks off.
Season Trajectory
The Nations Championship ranking race between South Africa and New Zealand is tight, with both sides on 15 points after three rounds. Under World Rugby's penalty scheme, even a narrow South Africa defeat would cost two ranking points and could hand New Zealand the No. 1 spot.
Fantasy and betting followers tracking the ranking race will want to note that a South Africa loss by 16 or more points would cost three ranking points rather than two. The result also affects scheduling, since the match is screened live on SuperSport.
The takeaway
A single match can reshape the rankings, so the margin of victory matters as much as the result. Keep an eye on both the South Africa and New Zealand fixtures on the same Saturday to understand where the No. 1 spot may land.
What happens next
South Africa plays Italy on Saturday, 7 November 2026, at 13:40 South African time, and the World Rugby No. 1 ranking may be decided that day by the result of New Zealand vs Scotland.
Further reading
For more on the global sporting calendar, explore our Soccer coverage.
