Following the Springboks’ comprehensive 66-7 victory over Italy, here is how we rated Rassie Erasmus’ charges

Springboks player ratings v Italy

15 Damian Willemse: Had a rare error under the high ball in the first half but was otherwise fantastic in that department. He ran a smart line and communicated it wonderfully to Wiese to score. Was replaced but quickly came back on when Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s mouthguard was flashing after copping an elbow to the jaw. 7

14 Kurt-Lee Arendse: Got the better of Monty Ioane in the aerial for much of the match but was guilty of conceding a few turnovers. Still, Arendse was lively as ever and put in a tidy performance. 6

13 Jesse Kriel: Not too much was asked of the defensive organiser by the hosts, but Kriel simply got the job done, as per usual. Made good decisions on the whole and kept the Italian defence honest. 6

12 Damian de Allende: The go-to ball carrier for the Springboks during his time on the park, and understandably so, as De Allende skittled Azzurri defenders backwards and usually took two or more tacklers with him. The kind of performance that so many will overlook, but the veteran Bok was hugely influential in an utterly dominant first half. 8

11 Ethan Hooker: Sent an Italian defender tumbling with just about every carry he made. He was sublime under the high ball too and later in the second half shifted to inside centre with Grant Williams taking on the wing. Scored at the end to put the cherry on top of his performance. 7

10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu: Scored a scorcher of a try in the 8th minute which threw the floodgates right open in the first half, with the Springboks scoring five more before the half-time whistle, one of which coming off a stunning 50:22 from the smirking fly-half who had a real swagger about him today. Consistency has been an issue for the playmaker, but today was a reminder of what he is capable of. His shift to full-back was interrupted by a head knock but it was still a stunning showing from Feinberg-Mngomezulu even though it wasn’t without a few errors. 8

9 Morne van den Berg: Continued his magnificent form from Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry today as the scrum-half’s box kicks were of the highest order, as was his service from the base. He scored yet another try, his eighth in just 12 Tests and made sure that the Boks were on the front foot more often than not. 8

The forwards

8 Jasper Wiese: One of the six forwards who bossed the first half and was duly replaced early in the second with the job done and the result in the bag. Used less on the carry than usual but was brutal when he did and was excellent at the attacking breakdowns and in the mauls. Made a stunning break before linking up with Willemse to score. 8

7 Pieter-Steph du Toit: Quite simply what you’d expect from the tireless back-rower. The South Africans won the collision battle for the majority of the game and Du Toit was central to that on both sides of the ball while being a pillar of the maul too. 7

6 Siya Kolisi (c): The skipper also left the park with the other six forwards early in the second half but Kolisi was immense during his shift, he won a penalty at the breakdown right after Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s opening try to ensure the Boks maintained the momentum. He scored a try off the back of a fantastic maul and returned on the hour mark when Paul de Villiers needed to undergo an HIA. 7

5 Ruan Nortje: Much like Pieter-Steph du Toit, Nortje got through a boatload of work as he usually does and ran the lineout brilliantly, which was a lethal weapon in Turin. The least flashy of the forwards today, but no less important. 8

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4 Lood de Jager: A late inclusion in the starting XV after an injury to Salmaan Moerat in the warm-up, De Jager made the most of his opportunity, running a dominant lineout along with Nortje. He carried well too, and it was he who charged down Alessandro Fusco for Willemse’s try. 7

3 Thomas du Toit: The Springboks would have wanted more from their scrum in the first half, but Du Toit did hold his own and largely had the upper hand. He was important in the success of the maul but also had his cameo interrupted by a gash near his eye. Still, a quality shift. 7

2 Malcolm Marx: A mammoth 40-odd minutes from the World Rugby Player of the Year who scored twice and assisted another. 100% accuracy in the lineout, big on the carry and provided the pass for Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s try – a mercy move from Erasmus to remove him so early. 8

1 Ox Nche: Made a strong carry near the Italian try line and crucially won the scraps battle which led to Wiese’s break, ultimately resulting in Willemse’s try. He didn’t turn the screws as he would have liked in the scrums but only once did it not go his way. 7

Replacements: Erasmus threw his Bomb Squad on early with the game pretty much in the bag but the tactic was far less explosive than he may have hoped. The Italians did shift into a gear that resembled a Test team in the second half following the bloodbath in the first 40 but the coaching staff will demand much better. Still, there were strong cameos from the likes of Paul de Villiers, Wilco Louw, and Cameron Hankeom. It wasn’t an explosion, nor an implosion, more of a spark. 6