Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu starred in South Africa's nine-try hammering of Italy
Turin (Italy) (AFP) - South Africa picked up where they left off in the Nations Championship by dismantling injury-hit Italy 66-7 in Turin on Saturday to claim a fourth consecutive bonus-point victory.
A Springboks squad boasting more than 1000 caps ran in nine tries at the Allianz Stadium as fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu starred with a dazzling solo try and 21 points from the tee.
The victory put the world champions alone on top of the Southern Hemisphere standings with a perfect 20 points and +140 points difference following big home wins against England, Scotland and Wales in July.
New Zealand can draw level with them on points if they defeat Scotland with a bonus point at Murrayfield later on Saturday, but the All Blacks would require a staggering margin of victory to go top on points difference.
South Africa face France in Paris next Friday before a trip to Ireland as they look to claim a place in the inaugural Nations Championship final at Twickenham at the end of the month.
The Azzurri were hit hard by a 16-strong list of unavailable players including captain Michele Lamaro and star centres Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex, but showed little resistance as they crumbled to a fourth straight defeat.
Erasmus, meanwhile, named a fully-loaded team for the trip to Turin as he looked to bounce back from defeat to Australia in their last, non-Nations Championship, outing in September.
- One-way traffic -
After kicking an early penalty, Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored a sensational opening try after nine minutes by bursting through a line in the Azzurri defence and streaking to the corner for an acrobatic one-handed finish.
Scrum-half Morne van der Berg was next to cross with a sharp pick-up from the back of a ruck, opening the floodgates as the first of four tries the visitors scored in a devastating 10-minute spell.
Hooker Malcolm Marx, captain Siya Kolisi and full-back Damian Willemse also crossed before the home side’s task became harder when prop Muhamed Hasa was sent to the sin bin as the Italian penalty count kept rising.
Marx soon barrelled over for his second, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s unerring accuracy from the tee ensured that the Springboks went in at the break with a 45-0 lead.
The punishment continued after the break when Wilco Louw powered over to take the Boks beyond the half-century mark.
The 31,500-strong home crowd were finally given something to cheer when Federico Ruzza dived in at the corner to get the hosts on the board and reward an improved second-half display.
However, they were undone by the driving lineout again late on when substitute Paul de Villiers crossed, and the rout was completed with the final play of the game when wing Ethan Hooker scored a ninth Boks try.
Italy will hope to bounce back and climb off the foot of the Northern Hemisphere table in their final two home games. The Azzurri, who lost to Japan, New Zealand and Australia on their travels in the summer, face Argentina in Genoa next Saturday before welcoming Fiji to Udine on November 21.