An estimated 24,000 travelled over from Ireland, and while there was a strong contingent of Springbok supporters it still looked about four to one in Irish tops. Unlike the Aviva, even Ireland’s Call thundered around the cantilever stands. Replacements: Luca Bigi, Federico Zani, Marco Riccioni, Edoardo Iachizzi, Giovanni Pettinelli, Alessandro Fusco, Luca Morisi, Tommaso Allan Italy: A Capuozzo; E Padovani, J I Brex, T Menoncello (L Morisi 78), P Bruno; L Garbisi (T Allan 72), S Varney (A Fusco 67); D Fischetti (F Zani 61), G Nicotera (L Bigi 61), S Ferrari (M Riccioni 47), N Cannone (G Pettinelli 65), F Ruzza, S Negri, M Lamaro, L Cannone (I Iachizzi 65) But fair play to Italy, they gave it to us, but fair play to our boys for digging in deep as well.” Is this the best Italy team he has faced, Clarke asks Aki: “They have always been a good team, they play with a lot of passion, you can see they want to play the game, they want to play expansive rugby and run the ball from the own try-line … we knew that, we just fell off a bit.”

We’re obviously very pleased to come away with a bonus point win,” he concluded. “I thought we showed great character because we were under the cosh a little bit. Paolo Garbisi then reduced the deficit to four points with a penalty early in the second half. The Stadio Olimpico sniffed a major upset. Farrell started chewing his fingers. Replacements: Ox Nche (Sharks) for Kitshoff, RG Snyman (Munster) for Mostert, Jean Kleyn (Munster) for Etzebeth, Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) for Weisse (all 49 mins); Marco van Staden (Bulls) for Kolisi (52), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) for Malherbe (63); Deon Fourie (Stormers) for Mbonambi (64); Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) for De Klerk (75).I’m 100 per cent sure there are some individuals that will take the field saying to themselves that this a big chance and big opportunity for me,” said Farrell during the week. “You’ve got to surround those people with good enough experienced players as well to be able to judge them properly, so we’re looking forward to that.”

Scoring: 0-5 Ryan try; 5-5 Varney try; 7-5 Garbisi con; 7-10 Keenan try; 7-12 Byrne con; 10-12 Garbisi pen; 10-17 Aki try; 10-19 Byrne con; 10-24 Hansen try; 15-24 Bruno try; 17-24 Garbisi; 20-24 Garbisi pen; 20-27 Byrne pen; 20-32 Hansen try; 20-34 Byrne conHere are the teams for tonight’s game in the Aviva. Several Irish players playing for a spot on the World Cup squad. South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth is held up by Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson Park of Ireland. Photograph: Dave Winter/Inpho They might have had more, but after successfully going to the corner and launching Aki, Ryan was forced into a fumble. At half-time it was only 7-3, but the crowd responded as if watching an epic.