Italy 6 All Blacks 20
MILAN - Luke McAlister's boot eased the All Blacks to an unconvincing 20-6 test rugby win over Italy after a brutal forward battle at a packed San Siro today.
McAlister's five penalties and Corey Flynn's first half try was enough for the second-string All Blacks, who were given plenty to think about by the hosts who were dominant up front but couldn't finish their few scoring chances.
Roared on by a cacophony of noise in the 80,000-seat arena, Italy's scrum demolished the All Blacks', with Leicester prop Martin Castrogiovanni dominating his opposite Wyatt Crockett.
The All Blacks were safely home but had to endure a series of scrums on their goal-line in the dying minutes, with tighthead Neemia Tialata sinbinned in the 78th minute for repeated collapses.
Italy also competed strongly at the breakdown, with experienced loose forwards Mauro Bergamasco and Sergio Parisse prominent, while All Blacks captain Rodney So'oialo toiled bravely for the tourists in a beaten pack.
Having led 14-6 at the break, the rattled All Blacks couldn't kick away but were handed enough penalties to stay in front, with McAlister kicking five from nine attempts.
Debut first five-eighth Mike Delany showed some nice touches but found it tough in the cauldron, with Stephen Donald replacing him with 15 minutes left.
The All Blacks coaches boldly made 12 changes to their side against an experienced Italian outfit, with debuts to Delany, Tamati Ellison and Ben Smith.
It added up to a total 214 caps, the least experienced All Blacks starting lineup since the combined 206 tests against Wales in Hamilton in 2003, Dan Carter's debut.
Still, the All Blacks were overwhelming favourites with bookmakers, with Italy not having beaten the tourists in 11 attempts including a 27-6 scoreline in their last meeting in Christchurch in June.
The noise was deafening as the sides ran out but the crowd fell deathly silent for the All Blacks haka, led by benchman Mils Muliaina.
The All Blacks started shakily against the fired-up hosts, with Ben Smith dropping his first touch and the Italy scrum quickly gaining the upper hand with two huge shoves.
McAlister and Italy's Craig Gower traded early penalties before the All Blacks got on a roll with a flurry of breakdown penalties from Australian referee Stu Dickinson.
McAlister goaled one to make it 6-3 as the All Blacks were content to kick for position rather than chance their arms.
One rare counter-attack sparked by Sitiveni Sivivatu saw Andy Ellis caught just short, then the All Blacks strung some phases together with McAlister and Ellison going close before Flynn scored in the left corner from an overlap.
It was Flynn's second try in his sixth test, his first run-on start since the 2003 World Cup.
Another McAlister penalty from an Italy ruck infringement gave the All Blacks a 14-3 halftime lead.
They extended the lead to 17-3 soon after the break when Italy second five-eighth Gonzalo Garcia was sinbinned by Dickinson for an apparent spear tackle at a ruck.
But the All Blacks couldn't make them pay with 14 men as the Italy pack continued to rumble on. After another big scrum, centre Gonzalo Canale went agonisingly close but was desperately held up by Ellis and Ellison.
Gower's second penalty narrowed it to 17-6 with a quarter remaining as coach Graham Henry rolled on his subs.
Jimmy Cowan replaced Ellis in the 60th minute after an unhappy test return behind the pack, and Crockett was replaced by John Afoa after a torrid night at the hands of Castrogiovanni.
Scores:- New Zealand 20 (Corey Flynn try; Luke McAlister 5 pen) Italy 6 (Craig Gower 2 pen). Halftime: 14-3.
- NZPA
