New Zealand underestimated Italy on Saturday night. Whilst they still ran out convincing 47-9 victors at the Stadio Olimpico, the All Blacks didn’t have it all their own way. The world’s number one ranked team have been accustomed to running up big scores in 2021, two centuries and four fifties across their eleven tests prior to this one. With another drubbing at the forefront of their minds, Saturday's visitors were guilty of getting too far ahead of themselves.
As I said, the score line may have read 47-9, but it didn’t tell the full story. New Zealand didn’t muster a single point until the twenty eighth minute. Plagued by accuracy issues early on, the men in black were forced to scruff out such a result through the might of their forward pack. It was the game plan that fans least expected to see, credit to the Italians physical and frenetic line speed.
Their fifteenth win over Italy ensured New Zealand made it three from three across the tour to date. It wasn’t a performance that would’ve helped the cases of any of those pushing for a spot in the Tour’s final two tests though, the All Blacks clearly underpar. Under the lead of Kieran Crowley for the first time however, the hosts were impressive. While they couldn’t muster a try for their fortunes, the Azzurri found numerous ways to get under the skin of their highly fancied opponents. And having kept in touch right up until the final quarter, there’s hope that Crowley may have what it takes to develop Italy into a competitive tier one nation ahead of the looming World Cup.
Arguably the least anticipated test match of the Tour thus far, with very little media coverage across the build up as compared to its predecessors, the lack of pressure may just have been the cause for the All Blacks' rustiness. The little limelight that did exist though, mostly centered around Sam Cane. Tasked with a start on the openside for the first time since June and the chance to resume the captaincy role, the pressure was on to deliver a statement performance ahead of the team’s more prestigious tests. Limited to restricted minutes off the bench to date, time would tell if Cane was back acclimatized to test level.
As expected, Foster rolled out a much rotated side featuring many of his less experienced men for the contest in Rome. The most surprising call however came in the second row. Having made his test debut off the bench against the USA, Josh Lord was given a start at lock alongside Tupou Vai’i. It marks an incredible development for the young Taranaki prospect, who couldn’t have dreamed of such a feat a month ago. There were wholesale alterations elsewhere as well, the midfield combination of Quinn Tupea and Brayden Ennor given another go, while George Bower, Dane Coles, and Tyrel Lomax made up a new look front row. Brad Weber was given the start at halfback ahead of Finlay Christie, however missed his opportunity to stake a claim, sustaining an early head injury that sent him from the field in just the ninth minute. Rotation also continued in the flyhalf position, Richie Mo’unga taking the reins following Beauden Barrett’s 100th test cap in Cardiff the weekend previously.
Saturday afternoon’s test raised the curtain on a new era for Italian rugby, former Canadian coach and ex-All Black Kieran Crowley taking to the helm for the first time. Preparing his new side for a test match with the All Blacks was always going to be difficult, and as such Crowley fielded most of the tried and tested that suited up for the Azzurri throughout their winless 2021 Six Nations campaign. He did pick out a new captain though, Michele Lamaro given the honour of leading his troops across the Autumn Nations Series. As such, Lamaro was named on the openside, partnering Sebastian Negri and Renato Giammarioli in the loosies.
As is the case in almost every side, flyhalf is a position of real depth for the Azzurri, Crowley selecting Paulo Garbisi at ten and Matteo Minozzi at fullback, with Tommasso Allen missing out all together. Stephan Varney, the young Gloucester halfback, was given the national team keys once more, resuming his partnership with Garbisi in the halves following their Six Nations outing with Scotland back in March.
With crowds returning across Europe, a rather disappointing one greeted Italy upon their first home match with fans since early 2020. Perhaps it was justified, the Azzurri without a single victory in that period, and welcoming a daunting prospect to the Stadio Olimpico. The men that ran out to defend their home turf believed in themselves though, and as such made the All Blacks fight tooth and nail for everything. Looking to spread play wide and exploit their opponents on the wing, just as they had done against the USA and for periods against the Welsh, New Zealand mistakes were aplenty. Time upon time, the ball was dropped on the flanks and near the gainline, Foster’s men guilty of forcing their hand. Coupled with some ferocious line speed and expressive rush defense, the Italians were fired up early. A number of crunch hits and turnovers only built their cause, Crowley’s side running high on emotion. Lamaro led them from the front, coupling with Negri and Marco Riccionni to stifle their opponents in the pack and advance downfield. That’s when perhaps the most tell-tale sign of the new coach’s style shone through. Lamenting the defensive style of Italian sides of the past, Crowley insisted his side kick to the corners with the score still deadlocked at blanks. Whilst such positive intent didn’t quite result in a try, it certainly sparked cheers from the home fans. Camped inside their own twenty-two for long periods, and yet to even test the defense of their hosts, the All Blacks timidness was apparent.
It was clear that Crowley, an ex-All Black himself, had thurrily analyzed the components of his visitors, applying yet more pressure through an array of box kicks and up-and-unders from Garbisi and Varney. A tactic of the Springboks that had caught New Zealand lacking for long periods during the Rugby Championship tests, McKenzie and his wingers were being exploited once more. In desperate need of some respite, those in black turned to what they do best. As the test drew close to the half hour mark with a score still yet to be added, Cane called for his charges to physically impose themselves upon the contest. When previously they looked to spread it wide in hope of exposing an overlap near the sideline, the All Blacks began to go direct, encouraging a higher degree of involvement from their forward pack. It may not have been how Foster wanted his troops to go about proceedings, but it certainly worked. An Italian scrum on their own five meter line was met with a barrage from the visitors, Tyrel Lomax applying most of the pressure through the tightead side, and Christie taking action to scoop up the ball ahead of Varney and burst over for New Zealand’s first. That would lay down the platform, Dane Coles notching two more, both off the back of driving mauls close to the line. In the space of twelve minutes the visitors had affirmed a healthy position on the scoreboard, Foster breathing a sigh of relief as the All Blacks headed to the break with a 21-6 lead, but well aware of his side’s rusty showing.
Looking for an improvement in the second forty, New Zealand were scrappy from the off once more. As accuracy continued to remain a problem, the Italians grew in stature again, Monty Ioane breaking open the away defense with a number of silky runs from inside his own half. While he couldn’t quite set away himself or one of his teammates for what would’ve been a well deserved try, the Italian winger remained a constant thorn in his opponents side. If the All Blacks thought Ioane was a nuisance though, Luca Bigi was ten times more, with his appearance off the bench. A veteran within this Azzurri side, the reserve hooker made numerous turnovers upon his arrival, alongside a host of bruising tackles. The Italians believed again, and Garbisi kept them in touch with a penalty goal close to the hour mark.
At 21-9 and holding just a twelve point lead, the men in black finally stepped up the intensity, ripping the Azzurri ragged as the hosts enormous effort began to wane. One of New Zealand’s lone star performers across the contest, Christie would set the floodgates open, latching onto an offload from Ofa Tu’ungafasi and setting away Sevu Reece for the team’s fourth try. Another three tries would follow, Asafo Aumua continuing the work of Coles at lineout time to power over for another two. Sandwiched in between the reserve hooker’s brace fell a second breakaway try for the All Blacks, Sotutu dotting down as Italy gave way late on. Whilst they’d blown the scoreline out to 47-9 come the final whistle, there was no hiding from the fact that it had been a sloppy performance from Foster’s men. And with the true measures of their tour to come against Ireland and France over the coming weekends, the pressure has well and truly come back on.
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