Stick is making clear that the world rankings offer false comfort heading into Turin — Italy at home is a different proposition, and the Boks know it from last year's visit. With France and Ireland to follow, the pressure to bank a win (and chase a bonus point, given the tight southern hemisphere standings with New Zealand) makes this opener carry more weight than a routine warm-up fixture. Stick flagged Capuozzo, Garbisi, and Ioane as genuine threats despite Italy's injury absences, while Kolisi's message was straightforward: secure the win first, then think about bonus points. The squad cohesion question after weeks apart gets short shrift — apparently the group chat was buzzing within a fortnight.