New Zealand vs Italy LIVE: Rugby World Cup result and reaction as ruthless All Blacks score 14 tries in rout
New Zealand 96-17 Italy: All Blacks turn on the style to hammer Italy and all but confirm place in World Cup quarter-finals
New Zealand ran in 14 tries to destroy Italy 96-17 for a bonus-point victory in Pool A and take a decisive step towards the quarter-finals at the Rugby World Cup on Friday.
The All Blacks, with lock Sam Whitelock celebrating a record 149th cap, showed no mercy at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium as Will Jordan (2), Aaron Smith (3), Mark Telea, Ardie Savea (2), Brodie Retallick, Dalton Papali’i, Dane Coles (2), Damian McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown scored tries -- all but one converted by Richie Mo’unga (9) or McKenzie (4).
Italy’s hopes of an upset quickly went up in smoke and they only got on the scoreboard thanks to second-half tries by Ange Capuozzo and Montanna Ioane as well as points from the tee by Tommaso Allan and Paolo Garbisi.
The result put New Zealand in second place with 10 points, ahead of the Azzurri on points difference and three points behind group leaders France, who will take on Italy next Friday, one day after the All Blacks face Uruguay.
Follow all the latest from the Pool A match below. Get all the Rugby World Cup odds here, plus the latest tips and free bets on the World Cup here.
New Zealand 0-0 Italy, 1 minute
Beauden Barrett punts long to Garbisi, who runs it back across the halfway line. Italy immediately work into their shape, with forwards presented with multiple options. A pull-back pass gets Ange Capuozzo into a sliver of space, and the will’o’the’wisp wing makes metres. Good stuff from Italy first up.
KICK OFF!
Paolo Garbisi has the ball, Matthew Carley has the whistle. A long blast on the Acme, a drop of ball to boot, and off we go!
Haka
New Zealand ready themselves in formation for the haka, Aaron Smith clasping ceremonial paddle. It’s the “Ka Mate”, rather than the “Kapa o Pango”, tonight. Italy stare the mdown.
Anthems
A bright and breezy version of “God Defend New Zealand”. Richie McCaw is in the house, perhaps ready for some sort of ceremonial handover with Sam Whitelock set to surpass him at some point this evening.
“Il Canto degli Italiani” is also delivered with appropriate vim, all building up the crescendo of that final roar. Can the Italians do something special tonight?
New Zealand vs Italy
Out the players come, New Zealand all in black, Italy in their change white strip. It looks a cracking crowd in Lyon, where all of the remaining Pool A action will take place.
Ardie Savea, captain tonight, tugs his socks up, making sure all is prim and proper as he takes his place for the anthems.
New Zealand vs Italy
Kick off nearing in Lyon, where it has, apparently, just cooled a little after another roasting day as France enjoys an extended Indian summer. It looks pretty sticky out there, though - keeping control of the ball has been an issue across this tournament so far. The All Blacks tend to do that better than anyone but Italy have shown an ability to combine ambition with accuracy this year, too.
New Zealand vs Italy
It’s also worth keeping an eye on the playmaking partnerships for both sides. Each team has opted to go with their primary ball-handlers at ten and 15, with Tommaso Allan moving back and Paolo Garbisi sliding across after the pair were at ten and 12 against Uruguay. Allan has stressed that the positional switches won’t change much about Italy’s attack but it will be fascinating to see if they can stretch New Zealand and try to get the ball in the hands of Monty Ioane and Ange Capuozzo.
Equally of interest is how the All Blacks manipulate Italy defensively. Juan Ignacio Brex is an aggressive defender in the 13 channel but can leave opportunities by shooting out of the line. I’d expect to see Mo’unga and both Barretts try to use a varied kicking game to exploit any spaces.
New Zealand vs Italy: Focus on the scrum
The scrum battle tonight could be really intriguing. There is a sense that New Zealand are significantly more vulnerable without Ethan de Groot, who is suspended after his red card against Namibia, while bench tighthead Tyrel Lomax is still working his way back from that gruesome gash on his leg. Italy’s eight have gone well at this tournament, with both Danilo Fischetti and Marco Riccioni vastly improved as set-piece prop forwards.
The pair’s destruction of Uruguay’s front row was key in Italy’s comeback victory and while you’d suggest it’s unlikely they enjoy that sort of dominance again, scrum success might be vital if Kieran Crowley’s side are to push the All Blacks close.
“They’ve even gone for a six-two split, so they’ve really stacked it up and their bench looks really strong,” New Zealand scrum coach Greg Feek said of Italy’s threat. “We have prepared as best we can for what’s coming. We know the first 20 minutes it will be a good match-up. It will be a physical contest as usual.”
Match officials
You know we’ll be talking about them at some point tonight, so here are your officiating team for this evening’s fixture. Remember, World Rugby does not disclose the foul play review officials on duty in the TMO bunker.
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Nic Berry (Aus) & Christophe Ridley (Eng)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
Carley had the whistle for the All Blacks’ warm-up defeat to South Africa. Want to know a little bit more about him?
New Zealand vs Italy referee: Who is Rugby World Cup official Matthew Carley
The Englishman is one of the referees at this year’s tournament
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