Tshituka is the only uncapped player in coach Rassie Erasmus' 23-player squad for the first of two test matches against the Azzurri at Loftus Versfeld. Centre Jesse Kriel will again captain the side in the absence of the injured Siya Kolisi.

There are 13 players in the squad who played against the Barbarians, while fullback Damian Willemse returns to the fold for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup finalin Paris. Handre Pollard and Morne van den Berg are the starting halfbacks, with eighth man Jasper Wiese and lock Eben Etzebeth also in the starting fifteen. Erasmus opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the replacements bench.

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