New Zealand produced another late second-half blitz in Rome to defeat Italy 47-9 in the Autumn Nations Series and break the record for the most tries scored in a single season.
Meeting Italy for the first time since 2018 – when the All Blacks triumphed 66-3 – Ian Foster’s men were made to work hard by the home side in their first game under new head coach Kieran Crowley.
It took almost half an hour before New Zealand broke the deadlock, with Finlay Christie and Dane Coles going over for two tries in three minutes to put the visitors 14-0 to the good at the Stadio Olimpico.
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Coles grabbed a second try on 38 minutes but two penalties from Paolo Garbisi kept the home side in the contest at the break, with another penalty soon after the restart making it 21-9.
But a Sevu Reece try and a second-half brace from replacement Asafo Aumua – either side of another score from Hoskins Sotutu – ensured former All Black Crowley’s Italy reign started with defeat.
ITALY PROVIDE STUBBORN RESISTANCE
The All Blacks took no time at all to test the Azzurri defence, with Richie Mo’unga running hard down the left side as the fly-half looked to punch a hole in the wall of blue shirts.
But Italy secured turnover ball at the breakdown much to the delight of the Stadio Olimpico before a series of uncharacteristic errors from the All Blacks provided further encouragement.
And the Azzurri almost came close to scoring the opening try moments later, with Monty Ioane being pulled back for an Italy penalty despite having a straight-forward run in.
New Zealand were forced to make a change in the eighth minute, bringing on Christie for Brad Weber, and the replacement halfback conceded a penalty not long after.
Crowley’s men took the bold decision to kick to the corner rather than take the three points but the hosts were unable to retain possession from the lineout as the opportunity went begging.
The visitors responded with a spell of pressure in the Italy half and after securing turnover ball from the scrum, Christie scrambled over the line for the opening try in the 27th minute.
Mo’unga slotted the extras and having finally broken the deadlock, New Zealand quickly pounced again just three minutes later to score a second try in similar fashion through Coles.
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Another successful Mo’unga conversion meant Italy suddenly found themselves 14-0 down but the home side responded impressively, forcing a penalty at the breakdown on 35 minutes.
Garbisi stepped up to cut the deficit with his first effort at goal but the Azzurri’s resistance was broken again three minutes later as Coles went over for his second of the game.
Italy refused to back down however and they got on the board once more before the break thanks to superb work again at the breakdown, with Garbisi converting again to make it 21-6.
SECOND-HALF BLITZ FROM ALL BLACKS
The second half played out in a similar way to the first, with Tupou Vaa’i and Damian McKenzie making handling errors for the visitors as the All Blacks looked for a fourth try.
For all of New Zealand’s huff and puff, the world number one team could not find a way to break Italy down as Crowley’s well-drilled side defended resolutely in the early stages.
When the All Blacks did get over the whitewash through Coles again, the effort was denied by backs-against-the-wall defending as the ball was held up by blue shirts over the tryline.
In fact, it was Italy who struck the first points of the second half after Josh Lord conceded a penalty which Garbisi slotted again just before the hour to cut the gap to 21-9.
A string of changes from both sides then disrupted the momentum of the game before New Zealand stepped on the gas with their fourth try on 62 minutes from Reece.
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That score saw the All Blacks break Argentina’s long-standing record of most tries scored in a single season (92) which has stood since 2003, with Reece’s try taking them to 93.
Further tries from Aumua and Sotutu, both converted by Mo’unga, saw the All Blacks pull clear of a tiring Azzurri in the closing minutes before Aumua claimed his second in the 75th minute.
But while the end result looked comprehensive for the visitors, Crowley will take plenty of encouragement from the way his side performed for an hour against the world’s top-ranked side.
