Right then. Here’s Rob’s report.
And with that I’ll sign off. I can’t say it was a close thing, but it was a fun thing. It certainly was a challenging thing keeping pace with all the tries.
Hope you enjoyed it. Yes, even you Italian fans. Though I have my doubts.
Til next time.
Dan
Rob Kitson’s report has just landed. But before I share it, I’ll stick a few comments from some readers up here:
“Italy trying the old ‘rope-a-dope’. NZ have punched themselves out and Italy going for the finish with forza!”
Would you believe this from Ultan Murphy, sent just after Italy scored early in the second half.
“It’s some hybrid form of basketball. Globetrotters. That was what I was reaching for”
Peter Gibbs from Margate needed two emails to get this one over the line. He’s bang on though. That’s exactly what it felt like.
David Griffiths has some (tongue in cheek) bad news:
“Just got a mournful text from Lols Dallaglio who actually handed out the Italian jerseys in the sheds today and, remarkably, cooked the team supper last night: “I was going to add walnuts to the sardine-caper tortellini but they wouldn’t let me due to allergies.” Maybe that was the missing ingredient today for Italy? In any event, you should let the chef decide.”
Now for Michele Lamaro, Italy’s skipper, who, as you can imagine, doesn’t look too pleased:
Obviously it’s tough to even say something. We’ve learned a very big lesson. We have to stick together. We have another chance and have to stick together.
Obviously it didn’t go our way. Sometimes you have to focus on your basics. We didn’t perform at the scrum, line-out, we didn’t perform with the front five, the front eight. We lost a lot of contacts there. It’s a big lesson. We have to keep moving on and stay together.
Now for the presentations. Here’s the player of the match, Ardie Savea, who scored two tries, assisted two more, carried over 100m and covered every blade of grass:
I’m very grateful. We put a lot on the bye week. For all the boys who put the effort in, I’m very proud.
We’ve got talent across the board. We haven’t really clicked but we played free rugby and that’s how I want my boys to play. We put a lot into this week and got the rewards.
I’m just grateful.
Full-time: New Zealand 96-17 Italy
And to think some of us predicted an upset. Italy needed to have their best ever performance while catching New Zealand on a bad night. The opposite happened. Italy missed 31 tackles and New Zealand were electric, running 1,033 metres from 127 carries while scoring 14 tries. They were also dominant at set-piece as the Italian scrum and line-out faltered. Ireland, or anyone else, won’t want to play the All Blacks. Not if they play like this. We’re in ‘whisper-it-quietly’ territory. Hard not to feel that the Kiwis are back.
Updated
TRY! New Zealand 96-17 Italy (Ioane, 80+1)
Italy have a score! And what a score it is. It started right back on their own goal line. Brex made a strong carry. Odogwu then wriggled round a tackler and then off-loaded superbly for Ioane who pulls off an outrageous finish. It’s a fantastic try. Fair play to Italy. That’s possibly the best try of the night. Garbisi converts with the last kick of the night.
Updated
80 mins: New Zealand want one more. Whitelock and then Cane carry. Coles in the tram can’t make his off-load stick. So Italy counter from their own line. A kick ahead gives Odogwu something to chase. McKenzie cleans it up but Italy have it back. It’s a slow built outside New Zealand’s 22. One last chance to land a blow.
78 mins: Italy give away a penalty on New Zealand’s try line! It was a brilliant break down the left. Garbisi went to clean out at the ruck but neck-rolled Savea. Can’t do that. What a shame. New Zealand are playing with 14 as Retallick has taken a seat.
TRY! New Zealand 96-10 Italy (Lienert-Brown, 75)
Enough already! The Italians have given up. Off the line-out, Coles on the loop, Roigard against the grain and Lienert-Brown in support to receive the pass and score an easy try. McKenzie makes no mistake from his easiest shot of the night.
Updated
TRY! New Zealand 89-10 Italy (Coles, 73)
Capitulation! Italian heads are hanging in shame. It’s falling apart and Coles on the right tram walks over for a try after a penalty advantage. That’s try number 13. Chastening for the Italians. McKenzie slots his third conversion on the bounce from the right.
Updated
72 mins: The game is splintering, as you’d expect. Both teams can’t keep control but eventually New Zealand, with McKenzie, are charging through the middle and past ragged Italians. They have a penalty so will keep the ball despite not making an attack stick.
TRY! New Zealand 82-10 Italy (Jordan, 70)
What a wicked bounce! New Zealand win the ball back shortly after the restart. Jordan has it and kicks ahead. It takes a nasty bounce and is gathered by a leaping Savea. He shovels a short pass for Jordan who has to take two steps before he’s over the line to dot down. McKenzie with another lovely curling conversion adds two more points.
Updated
TRY! New Zealand 75-10 Italy (McKenzie, 68)
Like a knife through tiramisu. A strong scrum. A short pass. McKenzie with a charge. Garbisi with a missed tackle. McKenzie with a spin, pivot, step and momentum takes him over. He then gets up and curls a delightful conversion that started outside the upright and bends just enough.
Updated
66 mins: Another penalty for New Zealand. Off the back of a busting run from Savea. He’s had a terrific game. He calls for a scrum around the 22 bang in front of the poles.
65 mins: This is wonder rugby from the All Blacks. A scrum penalty around half-way gives them front foot ball. McKenzie floats a tasty pass for Jordan on the right. There are steps and off-loads and popped passes. It ends with a knock-on from Cane inside Italy’s 22. Look, it’s not a contest, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of fun.
64 mins: Italy are huffing and puffing but getting nowhere. Telea makes a tackle and stands up the ball carrier A maul is called and New Zealand get the ball.
TRY! New Zealand 69-10 Italy (Coles, 61)
So simple. Coles first touch is to to throw the ball into the line-out. Cane then pops it right back to him and he has a clear run down the tram. No Italian defender was anywhere close to being on the same page. Mo’unga misses from the tee.
Updated
60 mins: Eventually the ball goes in the scrum and when it does it’s the Kiwi pack that monsters forward and wins a penalty. J Barrett hoofs it into the corner. I’e got three All Blacks in my fantasy team. I could do with one of them scoring a few tries from here. Yup, we’ve reached that stage in the night.
58 mins: There’s a forward pass. Or was it a knock-on? Hard to keep now as the game is tearing apart at the seams. Either way it’s Italy’s scrum feed inside New Zealand’s territory on the right.
“Capuazzo getting tackled mid-kick to cough up the ball pretty much sums up Italy tonight. This is getting painful to watch, and I say that as a Scotland fan with vivid, painful memories of the first six nations.”
It’s looking grim, isn’t it, James Humphries?
TRY! New Zealand 63-10 Italy (Papali'i, 57)
Poor from Italy. That’s as close to an own goal as you can get in rugby. The line-out sails right over the top. It’s shovelled on for Telea who carries multiple Italians with him. A short pass for Papali’i finds the rampaging back-rower and he’s over. Mo’unga maintains his perfect record on the night with two more points.
Updated
55 mins: No try. Double movement from Roigard. I think that’s the right call. They also lose their advantage so Italy get a chance to kick out and take a line-out just over their 22.
54 min: Against the head! New Zealand shove Italy right off the ball. It goes all the way right. B Barrett is almost through. There’s a cross kick for Telea out on the left. Capuozzo catches but instead of marking he chooses to run it from a mile away. He is tackled, spills the ball and Roigard thinks he’s scored after gather the ball and bobbling over the line. But is it two movements?
53 mins: Roigard is on for Smith. This get a little scrappy from both sides. Mo’unga kicks and Capuozzo fields. He then spills it and Roigard has it. It’s getting really messy now. We could go back for a few knock-ons but it’s an Italian scrum just inside New Zealand’s territory.
TRY! New Zealand 54-10 Italy (Retallick, 50)
What? This game is getting silly now. The replacement nine for Italy, Page-Relo, has his box kick charged down inside his own 22. S Barrett, who made the charge, does well to pick up the bobbling ball. Retallick finishes it off. Mo’unga adds the extras.
Updated
50 mins: Sam Whitelock comes on to become the most capped All Black of all time.
TRY! New Zealand 49-10 Italy (Capuozzo, 48)
Finally Italy land a blow! At the third time of asking in this half, they win a line-out in the red zone. It goes to the front of the line-out. It comes out the back. Ioane steps Mo’unga, feeds Allan and then Capuozzo has it near the touchline and dives and scores with a wonder finish. Great try. A few more of those and we have a game. Allan continues his perfect record from the tee this tournament.
Updated
47 mins: Another penalty for New Zealand. This one’s for an infringement at the line-out. Or just after. Italy’s ruck speed has accelerated the pace of things. Another chance to set a line-out five out.
46 mins: Italy can’t even get a jumper in the air. What a shambles. Frizell is lifted and he has the easiest job of catching the looping ball. They call those coach killers. New Zealand exit and Italy will have a line-out around the 10m line.
Updated
44 mins: Ah man. Italy lose their own line-out. It’s a smart pinch from Retallick. New Zealand then win a penalty of their own. Barrett can’t find touch so Italy counter and then kick. New Zealand counter but Italy get over the ball and win their third penalty on the ground in five minutes. Allan hoofs a great touch finder. Another chance for a line-out attack within striking distance. Just five out.
44 mins: Nothin’ doin’ with that attack so Italy nudge the ball into the corner.
43 mins: Allan is bundled out of touch but only after Garbisi’s clever show and go created space down the right. Retallick wins the line-out and New Zealand exit. Capuozzo takes the quick throw and runs up field. Italy with an advantage. Swift start to the second half.
42 mins: Italy shove J Barrett off the ball and win a penalty on the ground. That’s a good start. Brex off the back of the line-out with another strong carry. Capuozzo steps. Brex again through the middle. Better from Italy.
Away we go! A mountain to climb for Italy. The largest mountain on the planet. And they have to do it barefoot and backwards.
Have Italy choked?
I love Italian rugby.
— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) September 29, 2023
I watch so much of it in the URC.
Very surprised by this opening half.
Anyone want a ticket for the All Blacks v Uruguay?
One reader can no longer go and is willing to give away two seats in Lyon for free!
If you’re interested drop me a line and I’ll connect you.
Anyone else feeling a bit deflated?
“Bit of a shame, had been looking forward to this game but a non event after 20 minutes.”
I’m with you, David Williams.
“That third try’s got to be up there for try of the tournament, no? Italy surprisingly poor though; they looked well up for it in the first 5. Did not expect such a rout.”
You’re right James Humphries. New Zealand have been great. But Italy have let a lot of people down tonight.
“I don’t see the point in these one sided games”
I hear that, Jeff Sax. But many pundits, many with much sharper rugby minds than mine, predicted a much tighter contest. I don’t think anyone seriously thought Italy would win. But they’ve been woeful it has to be said. They’re a tier-one nation but you’d never guess it.
Half-time: New Zealand 49-3 Italy
So much for an upset. That was brutal. Italy didn’t help themselves by missing 17 tackles and conceding eight penalties, but this was an All Blacks performance that will be familiar to anyone who’s been watching them for more than four years. Clinical at the breakdown and at set-piece. Hard runs from midfield and out wide. Silky skills. A fly-half with the ball on a string and variation in attack. Aaron Smith bagged a hat-trick while Ardie Savea has two. I expect there’ll be a few more names next to the try scorer’s list by the time this is done. Back in a bit.
Updated
TRY! New Zealand 49-3 Italy (Savea, 40+5)
Clinical. Surgical. Inevitable. Taylor finds Frizell before the maul gets going. It stops around three metres short. Savea at the back spots the space and darts down for the line. Mo’unga caps off a perfect half of rugby with a conversion.
Updated
40+4 mins: Variation off the line-out. This time the forwards carry rather than maul. Right and then left. Mo’unga spots Taylor on his own and hoists and high cross-kick. Taylor at full stretch can’t reach it. That would have been sensational if it worked. Still, they had the penalty advantage so back to the corner they go.
40+1 mins: Taylor again finds his jumper. J Barrett and the Telea carry over the gainline. Advantage in Italy’s 22. Taylor with a pick and go. J Barrett pops for Mo’unga but he knocks-on in contact. Back for the penalty. Still time for one more score before the break. Into the corner they go.
Updated
40 mins: Ruzza clean again at the line-out. Italy show slick hands but it’s too lateral and the New Zealand defence can watch them snake across the field. When the opportunity presents itself they strike and get over the isolated ball carrier to steal a penalty.
39 mins: Front foot ball at last for Italy as it’s clean off the top of the line-out. Ioane carries well but there’s a big hit in midfield and New Zealand come roaring back. A kick ahead and Ioane has to come across and clean up. He does brilliantly. He held the ball under pressure and waited for the support to arrive. It came at last and Italy win the penalty.
38 mins: An early shove from the ABs gives Italy a free kick. Garbisi rakes a kick up field that is nowhere close to finding touch. B Barrett’s return isn’t great so that’s a small win for the Italians who have the line-out.
There’s a break in play as Riccioni receives attention. That’ll be a problem for Italy as they lost Fischetti around the 18th minute mark. Anyway, the scrum is just about ready to go.
37 mins: Taylor is accurate again from the line-out. Savea with a strong carry. Jordan and Ioane involved. The Italian defence is struggling to keep up. They manage to pry the ball loose and will have the scrum feed but they look spent. They just can’t get a foothold on the game. Crowley is on camera laughing in the coach’s box. He’ll be fuming on the inside.
Updated
36 mins: Italy infringe at the breakdown right from the kick-off. Another very impressive carry from Frizell. He adds something few All Black flankers bring. J Barrett finds another good touch down field.
TRY! New Zealand 42-3 Italy (Smith, 34)
Smith has a hat-trick! Again it’s so simple. Mo’unga with the show and go. J Barrett off the shoulder is found with a lovely pop pass. Smith, running a typically scrum-half’s support line, is there to finish it under the poles. Mo’unga could have back-heeled that if he wanted. He’s not missing from there.
Updated
34 mins: Smith spins it left. Ione goes it alone and is well tackled by Brex. Italy pinch it and hack it anywhere. Jordan counters and almost wriggles through.
32 mins: The scrum takes an age to set and it ends with New Zealand winning the free-kick. Nothing is working for Italy. New Zealand call for another scrum just outside the 22 more or less in front of the poles.
30 mins: Telea hammers Allan after making a lung bursting chase on Smith’s high kick. New Zealand win the ball back and Frizell carries with meaty intent up the guts. He’s there again and bumps off another tackler. He’s having a great game. Ione at outside centre stoops to gather the ball but can’t control it. Italy have a chance to catch their breath.
TRY! New Zealand 35-3 Italy (Smith, 27)
Too easy. The maul sucked in all the Italian forwards. It turned slightly and opened up the blindside. Taylor recognised the chance, peeled away and then fed Smith off the shoulder. The nippy scrummie stepped and dotted down. Mo’unga can’t miss. New Zealand sending a reminder that they remain a force.
Updated
27 mins: J Barrett is kicking really well out of hand. He finds a great touch down field. Only 10 metres out. Taylor finds Retallick at the front. The maul sets. On it rumbles…
25 mins: Mo’unga skews a kick out of touch just beyond New Zealand’s 22. So Italy have a chance to launch an attack. Nope. Not when Nicotera can’t throw straight from the line-out. Italy are falling apart. All Blacks get the scrum and win a penalty advantage.
TRY! New Zealand 28-3 Italy (Savea, 22)
Where was the Italian defence? Off the back of the line-out, Savea has it on the loop. But rather than meet any resistance he simply canters through almost unopposed. Poor defence. Italy haven’t shown up. Mo’unga converts his easiest shot of the night. Eight missed tackles so far for the Italians. Just not good enough.
Updated
21 mins: All New Zealand now. Taylor around half-way gets over the ball and steals a turnover. J Barrett hoofs it into touch near Italy’s line.
TRY! New Zealand 21-3 Italy (Telea, 19)
Oh wow! They’ve gone right up the field from the kick-off. Savea with a superb line against the grain saw him burst up field and runn about 30 metres. B Barrett had it, spun out of a few tacklers and then spiralled a wide ball for Telea. The big man had a lot to do and didn’t he do it well. Brushed off three Italians and wrestled the ball down. Mo’unga makes no mistake from the left.
Updated
TRY! New Zealand 14-3 Italy (Smith, 17)
The rolling maul does it! It’s an unlikely scorer in Smith. The little scrummie stole in and nabbed the ball at the right moment to go over. Frizell brought the ball down from the middle of the line-out and a strong shove got the maul rumbling. A few backs joined in and by the time Smith had the ball it was a done deal. Mo’unga slots the conversion from the right.
Updated
16 mins: Taylor loops around the line-out and there’s a mighty contact off the back of that set move. J Barrett running at pace meets Nicotera. But an Italian hasn’t rolled away so it’s another penalty. J Barrett kicks to the corner. Five out.
15 mins: Retallick is clean at the line-out. Capuozzo fields a kick and sends it back. Mo’unga returns the favour. Garbisi is wrapped up around halfway and J Barrett gets over the ball and makes the steal. Clinical. New Zealand nudge it to the 22.
14 mins: Taylor goes short at the line-out with S Barrett bringing it down. A firm carry gives Smith the chance to clear. It’s not out so Ione carries it back. Garbisi attempts a cross-kick to Capuozzo but can’t find him. That one is straight out. Italy aren’t here to take part. They’re looking to play.
12 mins: B Barrett hoofs his restart straight into touch. So Italy get the scrum on halfway. Brex down the right charges through midfield. Italy get wuick ball but New Zealand’s defence is firm. Frizell with another mighty hit. Retallick slows it down but Italy still with it. Varney’s box is outstanding on the angle. He puts it right in the corner.
Updated
Penalty! New Zealand 7-3 Italy (Allan, 10)
Bang through the middle. That’s 14 from 14 shot at goal now for Allan.
Updated
9 mins: Italy allow B Barrett’s exit ti bounce. Ione gets hold of it and is wrapped up by Frizell. They keep it tight and until Savea loses his cool at the breakdown and coughs up a penalty. Allan, who hasn’t missed a kick all tournament, lines up a shot at goal.
TRY! New Zealand 7-0 Italy (Jordan, 7)
What a try! Pinpoint from B Barrett off the boot as his cross-kick to a flying Jordan is inch perfect. That still needed a lot of finishing. He was in the air when he dotted down under pressure. Sensational. Mo’unga squeezes his conversion inside the right upright.
You’ll want to get a clip of that finish from Jordan. A truly brilliant piece of athleticism.
Updated
6 mins: The go right. A neat wrap-round involving Mo’unga almost makes the space but swift defence from the Italians snuffs it out. Papali’i has to get things going again from a standing start. Smith is back to the 22. Retallick charges from short range. Then S Barrett. An Italian is off his feet so New Zealand have an advantage….
4 min: Italy just about bring their line-out down. It wasn’t clean ball. New Zealand got some jumpers up to disrupt. In their panic to exit, there’s a forward pass from Italy. New Zealand will have the scrum 10m out right in front of the poles. Barrett standing right behind it. Could go either way.
3 min: Negri gets it in the right tram. Swift hands from Garbisi and then Allan and Brex down the line. But New Zealand steal it getting over the ball. Now they run with Savea up to half way. Barrett up to first receiver shovels it on. The ball still hasn’t gone out. Smith dinks a kick over the top and finds touch in Italy’s 22.
1 min: Telea catches and carries into the chasing Italians. B Barrett’s exit isn’t a brilliant one so Garbisi takes it back up field. Italy build in the middle of the park and Capuozzo jinks around a couple of tacklers.
Here we go!
Peeeeep! Italy in white shirts and blue shorts kick off. The All Blacks, all in black, receive. Do or die for the three-times champs.
Now for the Haka! They start in a circular huddle. It’s a slow build, a few calls and answers and then they break into formation. Aaron Smith holding a a stick/prop/faux spear (my apologies, I’m not sure what it is). He’s pretty motionless as the troops around whir and chant. A classic Haka. Game on!
Updated
Anthem time now. Both great tunes to be fair. Italy’s is obviously, and objectively, the best of the competition. New Zealand’s doesn’t make my top five but it’s top 10 for sure.
The Italians are all wearing demonic expressions! Hyperbolic? Nope. They look ready to tear at New Zealand flesh. They know what’s at stake.
10 to go. I’ve just switched on the live feed. The ABs look pumped! Love Ardie Savea as skipper. What a player. If he goes well he’ll set a tone.
Is this the biggest game in Italy’s history? Possibly. And the more I think about it, and the more I write about, the more I’m starting to believe.
In his preview of all the weekend’s action, Luke McLaughlin picked out two talking points from this match.
Ange Capuozzo features, as does the New Zealand pack.
Tuck in:
With apologies to all All Blacks fans, the rest of us are hoping for something miraculous tonight.
Right?
ᶠᵒʳᶻᵃ pic.twitter.com/aZk5AoGrQF
— EK Rugby Analysis (@ek_rugby) September 29, 2023
New Zealand have also played two matches.
Of course, things didn’t go so well way back on the opening night in Paris when France stole the show on a sweaty night.
The All Blacks did sort things out against Namibia when Cam Roigard did the business.
Let’s take a look at how the respective campaigns have panned out so far:
Italy have only played two matches and they’ve won them both with a bonus point..
They kicked things off by trampling Namibia and then pipped a plucky Uruguayan outfit that stormed to a surprising lead.
This is their first proper test against a top team before they take on the hosts next weekend.
A trio of Barretts feature tonight. And there’s actually seven of them in total. Four brothers and three sisters. How on earth did they feed all of them?
Une affaire de famille pour le match #NZLvITA 👨👧👧
— Rugby World Cup France 2023 (@France2023) September 29, 2023
---
A family affair for tonight's match 👨👧👧
@AllBlacks | #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/7NHGBvB6SB
New Zealand could get dumped out of the World Cup before the knockouts. I know, it’s probably not going to happen. But how wild is that? Before their loss to France in the opening game they’d never lost a group match at the World Cup.
But here we are. The greatest rugby nation of all time hanging on by their fingernails. Isn’t it great!?
Can Italy's forwards feed their backs?
That’s the question. Just look at that talent in the backline. Paolo Garbisi is one of the slickest 10s in the game and we all know how dangerous Ange Capuozzo can be when given half a chance.
But Michele Lamaro’s buddies up front have to earn enough front foot ball in the nasty spots on the pitch. Do that and they have a sniff.
Italy: Tommaso Allan; Ange Capuozzo, Juan Ignacio Brex, Luca Morisi, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Marco Riccioni; Dino Lamb, Federico Ruzza; Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro (cap), Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements: Hame Faiva, Ivan Nemer, Simone Ferrari, Niccolo Cannone, Manuel Zuliani, Toa Halafihi, Martin Page-Relo, Paolo Odogwu
La formazione annunciata dal CT Kieran #Crowley per il terzo match dell' #RWC2023 contro la Nuova Zelanda ➡️ https://t.co/uVXOat070v#NZLvITA🇳🇿🇮🇹
— Italrugby (@Federugby) September 27, 2023
📍OL Stadium, Lione
⏱ 29 settembre, kick off ore 21.00
📺 @SkySport ▪️ @RaiDue ▪️ streaming @NOWTV_It #rugbypassioneitaliana pic.twitter.com/ydWqflkgHM
All Blacks aren't taking any chances
That is a serious side. There was talk that Richie Mo’unga would miss out but he starts at 10. Shannon Frizell returns to the back row and Sam Whitelock will become the most-capped All Black in history, overtaking Richie McCaw, when he comes off the bench, earning his 149th cap. Remarkable.
New Zealand: Beauden Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea; Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Codie Taylor, Nepo Laulala; Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett; Shannon Frizell, Dalton Papali’i, Ardie Savea (cap)
Replacements: Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax, Samuel Whitelock, Sam Cane, Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown
Your 23 to face Italy 🖤
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) September 27, 2023
Samuel Whitelock is set to play his 149th Test Match on Friday night. This will make him the most capped Test player in All Blacks history 🫡#AllBlacks pic.twitter.com/9QNTMrtZfv
Preamble
One of two things is going to happen tonight. Either the rugby world is going to experience a seismic shock that will recalibrate everything we thought we knew about the game and likely lead to revolution in an archipelago nation in the South Pacific. Or it will be business as usual and all the pre-match hype will dissipate in an instant.
If you’re asking me, I’m predicting the latter.
In 15 matches across 36 years, the New Zealand All Blacks have never lost to Italy. One game is recorded as a draw, though that was at the 2019 World Cup when Typhoon Hagibis saw the sides share the points.
When they have played, it’s been pretty one-sided. Back at the 1999 World Cup New Zealand won by a staggering score of 101-3. There have been four other totals north of 70 and and five more between 50 and 69.
In fact, the closest Italy have come to an upset was in 2009 at the San Siro in Milan when they lost 20-6 to a second string All Blacks outfit.
But this is a different Italian side. Coached by the Kiwi Kieran Crowley – who won the 1987 World Cup after New Zealand kicked off their campaign with a win over Italy – they’ve found extra gears on attack and a greater tenacity in defence.
Will it pay off? Let’s find out together.
Kick off is at 9pm local time/8pm BST at the OL Stadium in Lyon.
Teams and other updates to follow.
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