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THREE KEY FACTS
The All Blacks lost to France 29-30 on Sunday morning
Scott Robertson’s side next face Italy in Turin, kickoff 9.10am on Sunday
The Italians beat Scotland and Wales while drawing with France in this year’s Six Nations
The All Blacks are going to make significant personnel changes to take on Italy in theirfinal test of the season but that won’t be accompanied by any change in attitude, desire or application, and shouldn’t be read as there being any hint of an underlying lack of respect.
If there is one thing the All Blacks are sure about this week in Turin, it is Italy’s ability to spring a nasty surprise and the danger the visitors could find themselves in on Saturday night if they start believing their tour finished last week with the 29-30 loss to France.
Italy, which is a perennial Six Nations basement dweller, has never been able to persuade the New Zealand rugby public that they are a team worthy of their seat at the top table.
Historically, encounters between Italy and the All Blacks have mostly been desperately one-sided, none more so than last year’s World Cup pool game where the All Blacks seemingly thought they were at the Colosseum and unleashed their particular brand of Hell, to demolish Italy 96-17.
But there is a body of evidence, albeit smaller and less convincing, that Italy is a dog that occasionally has its day and that they are nowhere near as hapless and hopeless as they appeared to be a year ago in Lyon.
This year’s Six Nations saw them beat Scotland and Wales and draw with France, and if nothing else, that’s proof to suggest that if the All Blacks have already clocked off for the season, then they could find themselves enduring an excruciating 80 minutes.
South Africa and Australia have suffered recent, shock defeats to Italy at this time of the year, making precisely that mistake of putting too much selection focus on blooding the next generation.
The message coming through from the All Blacks as they trained at Torino Rugby Club on the outskirts of a city that blends a little of Rome’s architectural and archaeological wonder with Milan’s industrial grit, is that they are determined to deliver a high-end, ruthless performance from a playing group that is expected to replicate, to some degree, the mixed characteristics of the host venue.
They can do so by featuring a number of seasoned regulars to supplement fringe players who have only sporadically featured throughout 2024.
Stephen Perofeta is established as a Super Rugby quality playmaker, yet Italy provides a chance to stake a claim as a test-level No. 10, writes Gregor Paul. Photo / Getty Images
To that end, Stephen Perofeta will likely be asked to show whether he can play first-five at this level.
After 13 tests, it has surely been established that Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie are one and two in the pecking order, but the All Blacks need a third option at first five as it is a position with a high attrition rate.
This is the perfect game to learn something about Perofeta and to see whether he is the right guy to continue developing as the next No 10.
He’s an undisputed talent at Super Rugby, where his ethereal running from fullback enables him to glide past the first tackle.
But his task on Saturday will be to produce an authoritative performance as a decision maker and game manager at test level where space will be harder to find, and the pressure will be significantly greater.
Ruben Love has been touted as a long-term possibility at No 10, but the coaching group view him, for now, as an outside back, and having impressed on the wing in Japan, he may get another chance to do so again.
Wing may seem an odd choice in which to utilise Love – whose Super Rugby career to date has been split mostly between fullback and first-five – but he’s undoubtedly quick, adept under the high ball, kicks well and is a robust defender.
And, with Will Jordan, Barrett, McKenzie and Perofeta all capable of playing fullback, there may be a desire among the coaching group to expand their wing options which are perhaps not as deep or as varied as they appear.
Sam Cane has recovered from a head cut suffered in Paris and is expected to start what will be his last test and given the paucity of fit loose forwards and abundance of opensides among those still standing, the big surprise could be regular lock Tupou Vai’i shifting to the blindside where he last played in the opening game of the 2023 World Cup.
Vai’i, who spoke to the media after training, said that he and a few teammates had been watching the Six Nations behind-the-scenes documentary on Netflix to try to get some insight into the Italians, but the mission had failed.
“To be honest, I just heard Neil Barnes [current Taranaki coach who was working for Italy in 2022] swearing all the time.”
Vai’i did say, however, that more conventional and sanctioned forms of research had led him to conclude that: “Italy have a big physical pack. We know they have a high skill set, especially their backs.
“We know that they [teams from the Northern Hemisphere] will bring their best foot forward to us and that is no different with Italy this week. They will come out firing and that is what we need to expect that.”
