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 on Saturday.
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 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.
Italy hadn’t beaten the tourists in 11 attempts including a 27-6 scoreline in their last meeting in Christchurch in June.
McAlister and Italy’s former NRL star 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.
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.
Gower’s second penalty narrowed it to 17-6 with a quarter remaining as coach Graham Henry rolled on his subs.
Dan
Guest
How on earth did the Italians get 80,000+ to a Rugby match? The game wasn't great but the atmosphere was absolutely immense!! They need to play all their matches at stadiums like that from now on I think... it could prove to be a very effective 23rd man for them with level of noise and passion.
Jerry
Guest
What would you have suggested he do?
Jeff
Guest
This was always going to be a bore of a match I just could never have predicted how boring it actually was. The ending was a shambles but as has been pointed out elsewhere not once was there grounds for a penalty try but maybe a few more cards. I don't think one should really take too much out of this game as is only 3 in the starting 15 fronted up against Wales last week. This was and clearly is a 2nd XV who were getting their promised run. Sadly the ABs never took this game seriously and that is a disappoinment, however I doubt many of the other top 5 nations would play their top 15 against such opposition The thing is and lets get real here people had Italy played last weeks AB starting XV do you really think the game would've been so close?
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Those overhead camera shots were like an EA Sports game.
van der Merwe
Guest
The last 10 minutes of this match illustrates what an awful referee Dickinson is.
Mungehead
Guest
A dreadful game. The newcomers, Delaney, Smith and Ellison, were poor. Ellis is a terrible halfback, I can't stand him. Our scrum was diabolical and was demolished more than once but we embarrassingly managed to forstall an Italian try at the game's end by infringing over and over and over, and even Tialata's sending off didn't stop that rot. The ending was farcical, and the Italians have a right to be pissed off over it and of the way Dickenson policed the mauls. Positives? Cory Jane showed his quality, he was our best player IMO. Sivivatu has made a good recovery from injury and showed he still has what it takes. McAlister's kicking was pretty decent. We won.
CraigB
Roar Guru
watching the replay it struck me how much better the coverage was coming from the soccer stadiusm compared to other games hosted in Italy. The camera angles etc made it a far better experience than previous Italian games.
katzilla
Roar Guru
I regret staying up for this game. At least I got to see a decent scrum in action. If Gower wasn't so bad we might have lost that one