Chris Rattue rates the best and the worst performers from the All Blacks' 68-10 victory over Italy this morning.
Damian McKenzie 8
Huge involvement and stepped into pivot role, without finding much clear air. Not needed in defence.
Israel Dagg 8
Played a big part in establishing the dominance as playmaker and fine angled run for try.
Malakai Fekitoa 6
Same old story. Vigorous and some big runs but lacked the nice touches and vision.
Anton Lienert-Brown 9
His deft touches a highlight of 2016. The work for Dagg try and pass to Naholo stand out.
Waisake Naholo 8
Made loads of running without a signature moment. Too good for this lot though.
Aaron Cruden 6
Strangely disappointing considering the scoreline. Inaccurate. Only one memorable run.
Tawera Kerr-Barlow 8
He's no Perenara or Smith. but this was a good performance by most standards.
Steven Luatua 7
Still lacks that imposing power. Decent enough, but a few hiccups including pass for Italian try.
Sam Cane 8
Powerful all round game - lots of runs and short passes. Led from the front.
Elliot Dixon 7
Solid effort highlighted by the flourish in creating the Luatua try.
Scott Barrett 7
Retallick-type short passing skills particularly for Faumuina and Crockett tries. Lineout steal.
Patrick Tuipulotu 8
Got the Ireland disaster out of the system. Powerful surges and a lineout steal.
Charlie Faumuina 9
Smashing game from the human wall. Plenty of ball running and scrum dominant.
Codie Taylor 7
Energetic for sure but a couple of things went wrong and lineout misfires in second half.
Wyatt Crockett 9
Most skilful prop in test rugby? Wonderful moments including rare try and setting up Fekitoa.
Reserves
Liam Coltman (Taylor, 65m) 5
Test debut. Nothing of note.
Joe Moody (Crockett, 71m) 5
Chicago villain had uneventful cameo.
Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Faumuina, 56m) 6
Moderate - couldn't match Faumuina's impact.
Brodie Retallick (Barrett, 54m) 6
Good blowout after break but lost too much ball.
Matt Todd (Tuipulotu, 60m) 7
Excellent quarter. Made early break. Charged confidently into game, reflecting growing status.
Aaron Smith (Kerr-Barlow, 51m) 7
More like the old Smith. Confidence boost, including top break from lineout.
Lima Sopoaga (Cruden, 60m) 7
Outshone Cruden...sharp breaks lovely cross kick for Naholo. Poor chase on Boni though.
Rieko Ioane (Dagg, 51m) 7
Start of a great career, surely. Hunted for work. Fine try finish between two defenders.
Edoardo Padovani 6
Started with long break, then took one as Italy disintegrated in front of him. Erratic tackler.
Giullo Bisegni 6
Was he out there? Yes, but only as a gallant tackler.
Tommaso Benvenuti 6
One of the Italian triers, particularly in scrambled defence.
Luke McLean 4
A non-running, long kicking inside centre. All a bit odd.
Angelo Esposito 4
Hard to miss, but only because of garish pink and yellow head gear.
Carlo Canna 3
Goes down as match villain, but was it him or the coach? Static and kick obsessed which played to All Blacks' strengths.
Giorgio Bronzini 4
On debut and maybe over-awed. Anonymous passer by decent test standards.
Sergio Parisse 7
Celebrated captain but not much to celebrate here. Worked fairly hard but not so inspirational.
Simone Favaro 7
At least he played like he meant it. Kamikaze tackles, some on time, some missed. Got nailed by Fekitoa in return.
Maxime Mbanda 7
Decent crack at ball running. Young loosie would be interesting proposition with more bulk.
Dries van Schalkwyk 6
Smallish lock was there or there abouts.
Marco Fuser 4
Struggler in this company.
Lorenzo Cittadini 4
Italy were bested in the scrums. Not much else to report.
Leonardo Ghiraldini 4
Crocked on six minutes, one lineout misfire. Clung on, tackled flying McKenzie then departed.
Andrea Lovotti 7
Athletic, worked hard, but maybe lacked power. Lasted the distance which is rare these days.
Reserves
Ornel Gega (Ghiraldini, 10m) 5
Couldn't save the lineout. Got about the field but not much impact.
Sami Panico (Lovotti, 79m) -
Thanks coach.
Pietro Ceccarelli (Cittadini, 44m) 4
Hard to spot.
George Biagi (Mbanda, 55m) 5
Part of the defence-based cavalry charged with keeping the score down.
Francesco Minto (Fuser, 55m) 5
Ditto Biagi.
Edoardo Gori (Bronzini, 51m) 5
Didn't change course of the match but nice intercept and collect to set up try.
Tommaso Allan (Canna, 51m) 4
Immediately hoofed the ball over the touchline, which said it all.
Tommaso Boni (Esposito, 64m) 7
In this dross, his runaway try shone brightly and he had a bit of work to do for it.
OPINION: There are three key reasons to believe that they can.