Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2021
The All Blacks face a must win game against Italy at the Rugby World Cup this weekend and while New Zealand fans would usually be bullish about the result, recent form has some questioning whether the Azzurri could pull off an upset in Lyon.
Both teams are chasing the second quarter-final berth from pool A behind hosts France and the All Blacks are under pressure to perform following a less than convincing start to the tournament.
The All Blacks crushed Namibia 71-3 to bounce back from their opening match defeat to the French, but coach Ian Foster knows they'll face a much stiffer challenge from Italy as they seek to prove they've learnt the lessons from the loss in Paris.
"For both teams there's a lot at stake. And regardless of what happened in round one this (Italy match) was always a game that we had to go out there and perform well and play well and win."
Foster has welcomed back Sam Cane, Jordie Barrett, Tyrel Lomax and Shannon Frizell from injury, with the quartet to make their first appearances at this World Cup.
Photo: photosport
Prop Lomax and regular captain Cane will return via the bench, with Barrett to start in the midfield and Frizell at blindside, joining Dalton Papali'i and stand-in skipper Ardie Savea in the loose forwards.
Foster hopes Frizell will toughen up the All Blacks pack and give them a better chance of dominating the breakdown.
"He's brought in many ways a simplicity to his game. He's just focussing on the quality of his ball carry, the quality of his tackle and his connections with the likes of Ardie (Savea), Sam (Cane) and now Dalton this week.
"He's improved his workrate and improved his quality in those areas."
The All Blacks will need to improve in most areas if they're to get past Italy and into the quarter-finals, where they're likely to face Ireland, who pipped South Africa last weekend to top pool B.
Defence coach Scott McLeod says that match showed the All Blacks the level they need to reach.
"I was hugely impressed with the intensity of the game. Set piece pressure was huge from both sides and the defence and the movement and the collisions, for as long as it was, was immense. They've definitely set the standard."
Though McLeod wouldn't be drawn into looking beyond Italy.
"I have rats and possums on my property and I know what a trap looks like. I know what it smells like and that to me is a trap right there. Italy are a very good side and if we get too far ahead of ourselves or start thinking about other teams, we'll come undone."
Italy have never beaten the All Blacks and are rank outsiders to win tomorrow morning, but Foster said the Azzurri's recent performances suggest it will be a close fought affair.
"History means nothing," Foster said.
"We've seen them leading France heading into the last ten minutes of a Six Nations game, we've seen them pushing Ireland right to the end. So if you look at their recent form, they're playing well and that's the Italy that we expect to show up."
The Italy coach, New Zealander Kieran Crowley, is confident his best side will turn up.
"This group of 33 players we have here have matured a lot over the last 18 months. I think they have a lot more confidence in their ability. they back themselves and they have no fear."
Italy's right wing Lorenzo Pani is congratulated by Italy's inside centre Paolo Garbisi as he celebrates after scoring Italy's first try during the France 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between Italy and Uruguay. Photo: AFP
And Crowley believes they have the game plan to cause an upset.
"We've got to show some courage. We're not going out there to try and keep the score down, we're going out there to try and win the game. But we're not going to be stupid about how we play, we are going to kick.
"We've looked at ways we think we can put pressure on New Zealand and we will attempt to do that."
If Italy do win it would be one of the biggest boilovers in World Cup history and would leave the three-time champion All Blacks on the brink of their first ever pool stage exit.
-RNZ