All Blacks v Italy Stat Attack

The All Blacks beat Italy this past weekend. Some facts and figures from the test by Peter Marriott.

New Zealand v Italy in Turin: Won 29-11

New Zealand and Italy first met at test level at Auckland in the opening pool match of the 1987 Rugby World Cup. New Zealand won the match 70-6.

Before that match New Zealand’s highest score in a test had been 51 points in their 51-3 win against All-America at Berkeley, California, in 1913.

Prior to 1987 New Zealand and Italy had met in an international in 1979 at Rovigo where the hosts lost narrowly 12-18. There were no test caps given out for this match.

The two sides have now met on 17 occasions: the All Blacks have won every match and usually by a considerable margin. In those 17 matches they have aggregated 992 points at an average of 58.4 points per match. Italy has aggregated 168 points at an average of 9.9 points per match.

The All Blacks 29 points is their third lowest score against Italy. Previously they had won 27-6 at Christchurch and 20-6 at Milan, both matches having been played in 2009.

This match was played at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, the home ground of Juventus FC. It hosted it’s first-ever rugby international. The All Blacks previous eight matches in Italy had been played at Rome (five matches) and one time each at Bologna, Genoa and Milan.

The All Blacks have now played a test in 61 different cities.

The All Blacks have on many previous occasions played in eight different countries during the season. This year, however, they have created a new record: they played in nine different countries: New Zealand, United States, South Africa, Australia, Japan, England, Ireland, France and Italy.

In 2008 they actually played their last eight matches in different countries.

The All Blacks kicked a penalty in this match: the first against Italy since they kicked three at Rome in 2012. Italy failed to score a try in the first half for the 15th time in 17 tests against the All Blacks.

In fact, of the 14 tries they have scored in total just two have been scored in the first 40 minutes. On seven occasions they have failed to score any tries.

Of the 23 players who played for each side in last year’s World Cup pool match in Lyon (won 96-17 by New Zealand), 14 players reappeared in this match for Italy and 13 for the All Blacks.

The All Blacks made five changes to the starting lineup against Italy from the XV which started in the previous match against France. Two of those changes were in the backs and three were in the forwards.

Against Italy, the All Black starting XV mustered a total of 891 caps between them. Of that number two players had appeared in 100 tests and six others had played in 50 or more tests.

Italy’s starting XV totalled 441 caps. There were no centurions and their most experienced player was Federico Ruzza with 58 caps. Sebastian Negri had played 57 times for Italy. Three others had appeared on 40-odd occasions. On the bench was Simone Ferrari who had also played 58 matches.

Cameron Roigard scored his seventh try in just his 10th match. It was his first try against Italy.

Will Jordan scored his 38th try in his 41st appearance. He now has three tries against Italy including the two he scored in last year’s World Cup pool match.

Jordan was awarded Man of the Match.

Mark Tele’a’s try was his 13th in 19 test matches. He also scored a try against Italy in the pool match last year.

Beauden Barrett scored his 45th test try in his 134th match to move ahead of Jeff Wilson (44 tries in 60 tests), and into fifth place on the all-time try scorers list. He is now one short of equalling Christian Cullen, Joe Rokocoko and Julian Savea who all scored 46 tries.

Barrett also kicked nine points with the boot and his 14 points in the match extended his overall points tally in tests for New Zealand to 772.

Beauden Barrett has scored a total of 29 points against Italy, including two tries.

Four All Blacks had not previously appeared in a test against Italy. They were Caleb Clarke, Peter Lakai, Fletcher Newell and Wallace Sititi.

Two players, Sam Cane and TJ Perenara both appeared for the final time in an All Black jersey. Cane had made his test debut against Ireland at Christchurch in 2012 whilst 27 matches later Perenara played his first test against England at Auckland in 2014. Cane played in 104 matches scoring 17 tries. Perenara played in 89 tests scoring 16 tries.

Sam Cane captained New Zealand 27 times.

TJ Perenara had the honour of personally leading the All Blacks in the Haka for a record extending 62nd time.

The All Blacks were issued with two yellow cards: one for the captain Scott Barrett and the other for Anton Lienert-Brown, his third for the season.

Seven Italy players had not previously appeared in a test against New Zealand. They were Alessandro Garbisi, Alessandro Izekor, Leonardo Marin, Tommaso Menoncello, Mirco Spagnolo, Jacopo Trulla and Ross Vintcent.

These seven players take the overall number who have appeared in at least one test against the All Blacks to 199.

Paolo Garbisi kicked six points (two penalties) to take his total in three matches against the All Blacks to 17. He is now Italy’s highest scorer against this country edging out Argentinian born Diego Dominguez who kicked 16 points in the two matches he played in 1991 and 1999.

Garbisi started the match at No 10 and was joined by his brother Alessandro who replaced the starting No 9 in the second half. The brothers combined as halfback/first five-eighth for 23 minutes before Paolo was substituted off.

Tommaso Menoncello scored his sixth try in his 23rd test match.

Juan Ignacio Brex was named captain of Italy for the first time. In the side’s previous match against Georgia, he had taken over the captaincy from incumbent Michele Lamaro who was forced to leave the field due to injury after just three minutes.

Brex is the first back (Centre) to captain Italy against New Zealand.

Simone Ferrari was issued with a yellow card.

Seven of the Italy players were born overseas: two in France, and one each in Argentina, Australia, England, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Jeff McTainsh made his debut as a rugby commentator for Sky Television.

Before the match there was a moments silence to honour two former Italy players who had recently passed away.

Pierre Brousset refereed his first test involving New Zealand. Previously he had been an assistant referee on several occasions. Brousset is the 16th Frenchman to control an All Black test match.

New Zealand’s record in the first year under new coach Scott Robertson is played 14, won 10 (71.4%), lost four and drew none.

The All Blacks aggregated 431 points (53 tries, 41 conversions and 28 penalties). Opposition sides totalled 270 points (29 tries, 22 conversions and 27 penalties).

The All Blacks used 42 players during the season including 10 who made their debut.

Eleven yellow cards were issued to eight different players. After at least one red card being issued in each of the previous five years, none were issued this year.

Damian McKenzie was the top point scorer with 143 points.

Three players shared the record for most tries scored: Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan and Mark Tele’a all scored seven tries.

New Zealand’s record in all test matches is: played 651, won 499 (76.7%), lost 129 and drawn 23.

Their 500th win will have to wait until next year!