Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said No 8 Jasper Wiese would be fully supported after being red carded in the 45-0 win over Italy which sealed a 2-0 Test series victory.

Wiese was sent off by Irish referee Andrew Brace after 22 minutes for head-butting prop Danilo Fischetti.

“I am unable to say it was right or wrong or how bad it was. Jasper must now handle that with our full support,” Erasmus told reporters in Gqeberha with the back-rower at risk of being handed a heavy suspension.

“He is so committed and passionate about the team. It would have been wonderful for him to play in this game with his brother Cobus.”

Lock Cobus Wiese won his first Springbok cap off the bench during the second half.

Yellow cards

“It is sad because Jasper is not a guy that goes out there to do those kinds of things, but I do not want to say anything that can make it better or worse,” Erasmus said.

Brace also showed three yellow cards – firstly to South Africa prop Wilco Louw, then Fischetti and fellow forward David Obiase.

Erasmus said the dismissal of 29-year-old Wiese triggered an unusually early substitution with Ox Nche replacing fellow prop Thomas du Toit on 31 minutes.

“We had seven men against eight in the scrum and we felt we needed a specialist loose-head while Thomas is more of a tight-head these days, so it was a tactical change,” he said.

When Wiese was sent off, record four-time Rugby World Cup winners South Africa were leading 10-0 and they scored a further five tries while not conceding against a top-tier side for first time since 2013.

‘Improvement’

Erasmus said the second Test performance was an improvement on the 42-24 victory in Pretoria last weekend when South Africa struggled in the second half.

“Last week we did not know a lot of the Italian players because we had not played against them. That made analyse tough.

“After that game our senior players could transfer a lot of knowledge to the younger guys who played this week, and they could also point out where we thought their weaknesses were.”

A disappointment for Erasmus was an innovative move at the kick-off that failed as flyhalf Manie Libbok deliberately kicked short to concede a scrum, at which the Springboks were penalised.

“Sometimes those things work and sometimes they do not. We will not be able to do that again for a few games as people have seen it now,” added the coach.

It was the 17th victory in 18 Tests for South Africa over Italy. The teams meet again on November 15 in Turin.

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