Recap: All Blacks dispatch Italy in Nations Championship test in Wellington

Saturday, 11 July 2026

France generated quick ball and found space out wide. The Aotearoa Rugby Pod discusses how the All Blacks can tighten up their defence.

The All Blacks host Italy in a Nations Championship test in Wellington on Saturday afternoon.
Kickoff at a sold-out Hnry Stadium is at 5.10pm. Sky will broadcast the match live, while Stuff will provide live updates from 4.30pm.
The All Blacks have won all 17 previous tests between the teams.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Anything but an All Blacks victory would be a major surprise.

However, the manner in which they go about their work should tell us plenty about Dave Rennie’s All Blacks.

For starters, without the luxury of playing indoor, will they continue to essentially consign the box-kick to the scrap heap, instead keeping ball in hand in the capital?

Then there’s their defence, which was worryingly leaky against France in Christchurch a week ago.

Just how German-born All Black Anton Segner fares in his first test is also near the top of the list.

Segner, after all, was believed to be too small for test rugby by some punters and pundits.

As head coach Dave Rennie made clear this week, he should be injected into the match relatively early.

Fellow uncapped rookie Josh Moorby, fresh from scoring a Super Rugby record 17 tries, should also get a good look against Italy on his home track.

Ruben Love, mostly excellent against France last week in the No 10 jersey, could take another step towards securing the playmaking role moving forward.

Indeed, we should know a good lot more about Rennie’s All Blacks come Saturday night.

TEAMS

All Blacks: Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Leroy Carter, Ruben Love, Cam Roigard, Ardie Savea, Luke Jacobson, Wallace Sititi, Tupou Vaa’i, Sam Darry, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bower, Pasilio Tosi, Josh Lord, Anton Segner, Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown, Josh Moorby.

Italy: Tommaso Allan, Malik Faissal, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Louis Lynagh, Paolo Harvisi, Stephen Varney, Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro, Ross Vintcent, Andrea Zambonin, Niccolo Cannone, Marco Riccioni, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Danilo Fischetti. Reserves: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Giulio Marini, Federico Ruzza, Riccardo Favretto, Alessandro Garbisi, Leonardo Marin.

TAB ODDS

All Blacks $1.02 Italy $13

HEAD TO HEAD

Played 17: All Blacks 17 wins

WHAT THEY SAID

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie: 'They will be a different creature. Maybe they underestimated Japan, pretty hot conditions over there this time of year, maybe they had an eye towards this game.

“So we won't make the same mistake, we're well aware of their ability. They come with a lot of line speed, they've got a very good scrum that troubled a lot of Six Nations sides.”

All Blacks scrum coach Jason Ryan: “Every test match is different, there wasn't a lot of long scrums in that game [against France], and neither was there mauls or defending mauls, so that's probably why there was so much speed.

“But you've got to be able to do both, and we will put a lot of work into our set piece this week. Italy are phenomenal, especially their scrum.”