Hurricanes hangover lifts mood of All Blacks v Italy test in Wellington, as Ruben Love gets the band back together
Saturday, 11 July 2026
What: Nations Championship, All Blacks v Italy. Where: Hnry Stadium, Wellington. When: 5.10pm Saturday, Sky Sport 1.
Ruben Love climbed the podium with his winner’s medal, grabbed the microphone and bellowed to a heaving Hnry Stadium: “Rugby is back in the 04!”
Three weeks on from that remarkable Hurricanes title win, rugby is back, again, in the capital, for an All Blacks test that looks a far inferior occasion yet still sold out, four days before kickoff.
If it were France, Ireland or England the buzz would be palpable but, with all due respect to Italy, the buildup was as low key as it gets for a test sellout at the 34,500-capacity Cake Tin (even if hospitality providers will be smiling).
Sales were boosted by a rare admission from NZ Rugby that its prices were too steep, and saw a 20% discount offered for 48 hours, plus a $100 deal for an adult and child. It means children’s tickets make up nearly one-fifth of all sales, NZR said.
Then there was the All Blacks’ late arrival in Wellington as they touched down in a southerly storm on Thursday evening. After beating France 34-32 in Christchurch they jetted to Auckland, a move locked in by former coach Scott Robertson before his departure, NZR said.
Read More:
Dropping tunes and dropping kilos: All Blacks giant embraces reinvigorating Rennie regime
Is Rennie haunted by the ghosts of Florence? All Blacks miss an opportunity to be bold against Italy
All Blacks look to tackle Wellington woes as happy homecoming surely awaits Dave Rennie
Some All Blacks joined students for Ki-o-rahi, a traditional Māori ball game, on Friday morning then, as the showers eased, Ardie Savea led his team onto the stadium for their captain’s run. After a week of freezing rain, MetService forecasts clear skies, light winds and a bracing 7C for the 5.10pm kickoff.
A Hurricanes quartet of Cam Roigard, Love, Jordie Barrett and Billy Proctor will try to entertain and unleash Chiefs flyers Leroy Carter and Damian McKenzie along with Will Jordan, who with two tries will equal Doug Howlett’s All Blacks test record of 49.
After Xavier Numia, Fehi Fineanganofo and Jamie Hannah became All Blacks 1233, 1234 and 1235 in Christchurch, Josh Moorby and Anton Segner will join them as debutants off the bench.
Moorby, from Te Awamutu, starred for the Hurricanes with a record-breaking 17 tries alongside Fineanganofo (now sidelined with a shoulder injury). He took the long route to the black jersey via Southland, Northland and a one-year stint with Montpellier, and turns 28 on Saturday.
Segner’s journey was even longer, and he will become the first German-born All Black, cheered on by his parents Tim and Eva who were arriving from Frankfurt. Now 24, Segner was a rugby nut in football-mad Germany, gambled on an exchange at Nelson College and never looked back, declaring his dream to be an All Black as a teenager.
And what of Italy, the world’s 10th-ranked team? They were stunned 27-10 by Japan last Saturday, perhaps with one eye on this test, but were good enough to beat England and Scotland in the Six Nations.
For coach Dave Rennie it’s a banana skin for his men if they are off their game, and explains his minimal starting XV changes. A convincing All Blacks win is expected; a tense finish or, heaven forbid, a shock defeat would heap the pressure on early in his tenure with a South Africa tour looming.
Then there’s that remarkable record in Wellington: just three wins from their last 10 Cake Tin tests, capped by a 43-10 hiding from the Springboks last September.
Rennie will hope a dousing of Hurricanes magic dust on a clear, still evening will avert any angst, spark the full house and give fans another night to remember in the 04.