First Half
Most of the first half was a stop-start and set-piece heavy affair. Italy succeeded in slowing down NZ ball and keeping both teams in second gear.
Attacking opportunities by both sides were thwarted by passes not sticking and knocks-on.
New Zealand seemed to overestimate their ability to run or chip-kick their way out of their own 22 and paid the price in terms of lack of territory.
At 9:00 (game clock) a NZ lineout on the Italian side of half way lead to a maul, Italian steal and successful 50:22 kick. Italy won their lineout. Ardie Savea ripped the ball, but did it off his feat, earning a penalty, which the Italian 10 (Paolo Garbisi) kicked. Italy 3 NZ 0.
At around 14 minutes, Beauden Barrett returned the favour from in front of the posts. Italy 3 NZ 3.
The re-start saw NZ penalised for havign a wall of players in front of the catching player (impeding the Italian chasers – which is usually a Peroni or some rubbish beer like that). Kick successful. Italy 6 NZ 3.
So far the Italians are swarming the ruck area and slowing NZ down. At a break in play (19:13 game clock) the TMO (Tual Trainini – France) interjects to create a comical exchange with referee Pierre Brousset (France) discussing the lack of “foot-aarshe” on the big screen. Eventually we see that NZ Captain Scott Barrett has crock-rolled (around the upper body, not the neck) the Italian player out of the ruck. Scott is off under Yellow Card (under review for red). Perhaps Scott Barrett wanted to make Sam Cane feel better about being sent-off as Captain?
The non-flowing game continues with NZ having to move people around and add backs to the scrum, giving Italy a small advantage there. at 22:20 the good news comes through that Scott Barrett’s card will stay yellow.
The ABs win a lineout, maul it up the field then attack effectively in tight through back-pedaling Italian defence [insert WW2 North Africa joke here]. AB scrum half Cam Roigard has two bursts in quick succession, with the second leading to a try near the right-hand upright.
Beauden Barrett sets up to kick the conversion from in line with the posts, but referee Pierre Brousset moves him 1m to the right. It’s not before time that World Rugby clamped-down on the white-collar criminals always taking an extra metre wherever they can get away with it. This is the kind of French referee pedantry I can really get behind. Italy 6 NZ 10.
At 27:45 NZ feed a scrum (with 12 Anton Lienert-Brown as openside flanker). Italy put in a great shove and win the scrum penalty. Scott Barrett’s return from the sin bin at 29:25 should steady the NZ scrum.
At 32 minutes NZ win their scrum, hit the gain line in close for a bit then send it to the backs for Will “not as hot as Dan Carter*” Jordan to stumble and mess it up. (*according to Mrs Yowie)
Italy turn it over and kick across field, only for the Italian receiver to knock it on and give NZ possession under advantage. NZ remember how they are supposed to play and B Barrett gets a sweeping move going back to the camera/right side of the field. An unnecessary pass off the ground by 6 Wallace Sititi is well forward and out of reach of Will Jordan. No try. The Italian crowd sound their approval.
At 36 minutes Italy win their own scrum, attack the short side then kick the 10m line (NZ territory). NZ win their line out, do some backline phases and put Will Jordan in space. Italy concede an offside penalty on their own 10m line and Will Jordan scores under advantage. B Barrett adds the extras to make it Italy 6 NZ 17. NZ receive the re-start and chip it out to bring the first half to an end.
Second Half
NZ kick off. Penalty to Italy for Reiko Ioane obstruction.
At 45 mins the TMO has a look at some shoulder-to-head work by NZ 6 Wallace Sititi. The crowd boos while the NZ commentary team sympathise with Saint Sititi. The Ref pushes for a penalty only against some TMO passive aggression and Black 6 stays on. Golf clap from the commentators.
Italy get a move on with a burst from 15 Ange Capuozzo who passes to 11 Monty Ioane, good offload, chip, ruck and at least six pick & drive phases has 5 Dino Lamb over the line (but not scoring) under advantage. Back we go for the penalty. Italy win their 5m lineout and work it towards the posts. Another AB penalty. The Ref has a chat to the NZ captain about their repeated offside infringements in the red zone (if you can imagine).
49:00 the Italian lineout throw goes to Lamb who brings it down. Maul. It’s out to 13 Juan Ignacio Brex who loses it – but it’s a penalty for Black not releasing and a Yellow Card to 12 Anton Lienert-Brown for a misfired attempt to hold the attacking player up.
50:30 the Italian lineout goes to Lamb again. The maul is brought down and it’s penalty to NZ. The ABs have gotten out of a tight spot at the price of one Yellow Card.
A festival of substitutions, scrums and kicks back-and forth follows, with a penalty for 19 Niccolo Cannone’s “Owen Farrell” tackle.
57:44 TJ Perenara comes on for his last Test. He’s chosen the “no sideburns” joke haircut from the softball episode of The Simpsons to look good for the occasion.
60:17 Anton Lienert-Brown’s yellow is finished. The Ref warns 13 Juan Ignacio Brex (c) that any more Italian scrum penalties will cause a yellow cad.
NZ spend some time in the Italian half, selecting ‘scrum’ when the Italians infringe to try to milk this area of dominance. It pays off at 65:30 when big unit 8 Simone Ferrari is sent off with a Yellow Card.
At 66:30 we get some wisdom from the NZ commentators to the effect of “If you look at where Italy were last year to where they are this year, so a year later…”. You don’t say.
Sam Cane comes off the field in his last Test to applause from the crowd. It hasn’t been a vintage ABs performance for his send-off.
From 68:46 we have a NZ scrum in the far corner near the Italian tryline. After a few phases B Barrett throws a long pass to an unmarked 14 Mark Telea on the near side. Try in the corner. It’s taken them long enough. Barret converts. Italy 6 NZ 24.
At 75:30 a B Barret kick-pass ends up with Italy. Italy kick to the camera-side wing. The attempted catch by both sides is messy, but 13 Juan Ignacio Brex has it and unloads in contact to 12 Tommaso Menoncello who covers about 20 metres for a try. The crowd love it.
The commentators mention that Tommaso Menoncello is the 2024 Six Nations Player of the Tournament. After the performance of the Northern Hemisphere teams this tour, that accolade could be similar to “World’s Tallest Dwarf“.
No success with the conversion. It’s Italy 11 NZ 24.
77:47 NZ lineout at the Italian 22m line. Through some phases. B Barrett kicks to the wing and it goes out. 15 Ange Capuozzo does a quick line-out to allow an Italian escape kick from behind their own tryline. This ends poorly when B Barret catches it and runs about 20m for a solo try. B Barret goes wide of the far upright to leave the final score Italy 11 NZ 29. A knock-on brings the match to an end.
Player of the Match
The broadcaster awarded this to Will Jordan. For what it’s worth I agree. He was involved in a lot of good stuff and his mishaps were usually the result of some shocking passes to him.
What have we learned?
Italy are on the rise and an error-filled, non-imposing “rubbish game” is definitely a club in New Zealand’s golf bag at the moment. Shaver Robinson will finish the season with a 10:4 win:loss record.
Also, despite New Zealand’s opposition having a player called “Lamb” I can actually leave the cheap and obvious joke opportunities alone.
