Surely it will not happen. Surely Italy will not beat the team regularly labelled "the best team in the world". And yet who is so sure?

The Italians are getting better, with some help from estranieri, outsiders who have come from Argentina, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa to qualify for Italy. Add them to Italian talents like Sergio Parisse, the Bergamasco brothers and Leonardo Ghiraldini and you have a competitive mix. Of their opponents they have beaten all but England and the Sanzar trio.

They have the shrewdest coach around in Nick Mallett. If any coach can plot the Springbok' downfall this Springbok can do it. He has a humble facade when talking bout his side but beneath it there is a steely will to get his side doing well. They did well against New Zealand last week, albeit a weakened All Black side, and much of their doing well was at scrum time where they made a mess of the All Blacks, forcing them to seven penalties and a free kick - while the Springboks were being outscrummed by France.

Mallett will tell you he has the best scrumming side in the Six nations - better than France who outscrummed the Springboks as, on occasion, the Lions and the Wallabies have done in this year when Springbok scrumming was dilapidated as never before.

Martin Castrogiovanni is Italy's destroyer in chief - Attila the Argentinian but it is not only Castrogiovanni. The All Blacks suffered most when he was watching from touch and Ignacio Rouyet was at tighthead where Wian du Preez will be winning his first cap. Scrumming is the best thing the Azzurri do; it is the worst thing the Springboks do. Mind you, with all the polemic around the Milan scrums and the criticism of the referee of the day by no less a personage than Paddy O'Brien world boss of referees, perhaps the referee on Saturday will be vigilant of possible Italian infractions and see the Springboks safely though.

The Azzurri have a capable line-out as well. But then one would expect Mallett's side to be well organised there - and Victor Matfield will be resting his long legs on a bench in Udine.

Away from the set phases, the Springboks should look like winners - with Heinrich Brussow at the tackle - but doing it on his own - and with the speed of Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana and Zane Kirchner to capitalise and there may even be a means of getting Ryan Kankowski speeding in space. That said the Italians will tackle with resolution. The All Blacks managed just one try last week and that by a hooker. It will not be easy to get the Italians reeling early.

Players to watch: Heinrich Brussow of South Africa who in just one season has become a hero with his ball-winning, ball-retention handling and tackling. It's just that he could be on his own when it was graft time with only Bakkies Botha to help him. Sergio Parisse of Italy is, it seems, the only player with intuitive skill in the Italian side, a great player, a man without frills. Don't you wish Zane Kirchner was also a player to watch with sharp, long-striding incursions into the line to set Bryan Habana running free?

Head to Head: The big head-to head will be in the front row - front row against front row, especially maestro Martin Castrogiovanni against rookie Wian du Preez. Leonardo Ghiraldini is on the bench on Saturday, but the Italian scrum was even stronger when veteran Fabio Ongaro was hooking. This will be a serious, match-affecting contest. Bakkies Botha of South Africa against strong Carlo Dal Fava, formerly of South Africa, now of Italy - strength against strength. In the loose there will be a contest of veteran Mauro Bergamasco, fearless man, and new star Heinrich Brussow, a relentless man. Outside of the pack the Springboks look capable of winning every personal clash.

Previous Results
2008: South Africa won 26-0, Cape Town
2001: South Africa won 54-26, Genoa
2001: South Africa won 60-14, Port Elizabeth
1999: South Africa won 101-0, Durban
1999: South Africa won 74-3, Port Elizabeth
1997: South Africa won 62-31, Bologna
1995: South Africa won 40-21, Rome

This means that if Italy win they will make history.

Prediction: It's hard to imagine, however wobbly the Springbok legs may be, that this annus mirabilis will turn into an annus miserabilis up in little Udine. Springboks to win by more than 15.

Teams

Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Matteo Pratichetti, 13 Alberto Sgarbi, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Craig Gower, 9 Simon Piccone, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Simone Favaro, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys, 4 Carlo Del Fava, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Salvatore Perugini
Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Ignacio Rouyet, 18 Antonio Pavanello, 19 Josh Sole, 20 Mauro Bergamasco, 21 Tito Tebaldi, 22 Gonzalo Canale

South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Adi Jacobs, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Tendai Mtawarira, 17 BJ Botha, 18 Victor Matfield, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Wynand Olivier.

Date: Saturday, November 21
Venue: Stadio Friuli, Udine
Kick-off: 15.00 (14.00 GMT; 16.00 SA time)
Expected weather conditions: Clear with a high of 14?C, dropping to 4?C and a light wind
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: James Jones (Wales), Peter Allan (Scotland)
TMO: Hugh Watkins (Wales)