Never lost to Italy—not once in seventeen meetings.
On a Wellington afternoon weighted with recent memory, the All Blacks return to HNRY Stadium — the same ground where the Springboks humbled them just months ago — to host Italy in the inaugural Nations Championship. Under new coach Dave Rennie, New Zealand carries both the comfort of a perfect 17-0 record against the Azzurri and the quiet urgency of a team still proving itself. History favors the hosts overwhelmingly, yet history is always being written anew, and Italy has shown this season that it is not without ambition.
- The All Blacks carry an unbeaten 17-0 record against Italy, but HNRY Stadium has become an uncomfortable venue — three losses in their last six matches there cast a shadow over the homecoming.
- Italy stumbled badly in their Nations Championship opener, managing only 13 points against Japan after squandering an early lead, raising questions about their readiness for this new global stage.
- Rennie's side has won four of their last five tests, including victories over France, Ireland, and Scotland, but a 33-19 loss to England is a reminder that the rebuild is still fragile.
- Two uncapped players on the bench signal that Rennie is still stress-testing his depth, turning this match into something more than a formality — it is also an audition.
- The betting markets place Italy at $13.00 to win, yet the same referee oversaw Italy's upset of England earlier this year, a quiet reminder that sport rarely respects the ledger.
The All Blacks returned to Wellington carrying the sting of their last visit — a 43-17 dismantling by the Springboks in September 2025. Now, under new coach Dave Rennie, they faced Italy in the inaugural Nations Championship, a twelve-team tournament bringing the Southern and Northern Hemispheres into direct competition every two years.
Italy had already stumbled, losing their opener to Japan 27-10 despite taking an early lead through Ignacio Brex. The Azzurri managed only three more points across the remainder of that match. Against the All Blacks, the historical record offered little comfort: New Zealand had won all seventeen meetings, scoring 988 points to Italy's 168. Their most recent encounter ended 29-11 in Turin; before that, a 96-17 rout in Lyon.
Yet the All Blacks' record at HNRY Stadium told a more complicated story — three losses, two wins, and a draw across their last six matches there. Rennie's tenure had begun well, with wins over France, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, but a 33-19 defeat to England showed the rebuild still had edges to smooth.
Ardie Savea would captain from number eight, with Cam Roigard and Ruben Love directing play at nine and ten. Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie featured in the backline, while two uncapped players — Anton Segner and Josh Moorby — were named on the bench, reflecting Rennie's ongoing search for depth.
For Italy, Paolo Garbisi would run the attack alongside Stephen Varney, with Michele Lamaro and Lorenzo Cannone providing forward grunt. Louis Lynagh — son of the celebrated Michael Lynagh — would take his place on the wing.
French referee Luc Ramos, who had overseen Italy's Six Nations upset of England earlier in the year, would manage proceedings. The betting markets set the All Blacks at $1.02 to win. The numbers were overwhelming, but Wellington had a way of complicating certainties — and Italy, for all their recent struggles, had shown they were capable of producing something unexpected.
The All Blacks were returning to Wellington for the first time since a bruising September afternoon in 2025, when the Springboks had dismantled them 43-17 at HNRY Stadium. That loss had stung. Now, under new coach Dave Rennie, they had a chance to reclaim the ground—literally and figuratively—against Italy in the inaugural Nations Championship, a tournament that would pit the Southern Hemisphere's best against the North's finest every two years across twelve teams split into two pools.
Italy arrived in the capital having already stumbled in their opening match, losing to Japan 27-10 despite taking an early lead through centre Ignacio Brex. The Azzurri had managed only three additional points across the remainder of that game, a performance that suggested they were still finding their footing in this new competition. For the All Blacks, the matchup offered something closer to certainty. They had never lost to Italy—not once in seventeen meetings. The point differential told the story of a lopsided rivalry: New Zealand had scored 988 points across those encounters while Italy had managed just 168. In their most recent clash two years prior, the All Blacks had won 29-11 in Turin. Before that, a 96-17 demolition in Lyon. The pattern was relentless.
Yet context mattered. The All Blacks' recent record at HNRY Stadium was mixed at best. In their last six matches in the capital, they had recorded three losses, two wins, and a draw—hardly the fortress mentality a team rebuilding under a new coach would want. Rennie's tenure had begun promisingly enough. His side had beaten France 34-32, Wales 52-26, Scotland 25-17, and Ireland 26-13 in their last five tests, though they had also absorbed a 33-19 loss to England. The momentum was there, but fragile.
Ardie Savea would captain the All Blacks from the number eight position, with Cam Roigard at scrum-half and Ruben Love at fly-half. The backline featured Will Jordan on the wing and Damian McKenzie at fullback, while the forward pack included Ethan de Groot at loosehead and Codie Taylor at hooker. Two uncapped players—Anton Segner and Josh Moorby—were named on the bench, a sign that Rennie was still experimenting with depth. Fehi Fineanganofo was unavailable due to a shoulder injury.
Italy's lineup showed few surprises. Paolo Garbisi would steer the attack from fly-half, with Stephen Varney at nine. The pack was anchored by Michele Lamaro at openside flanker and Lorenzo Cannone at number eight. Louis Lynagh, the son of former All Black and England international Michael Lynagh, would play on the wing.
French referee Luc Ramos would oversee the match, with Nic Berry and Luke Pearce as assistants. Ramos had never refereed an All Blacks test before, though he had experience with Italy—he had been in charge when they upset England 23-18 in the Six Nations earlier in the year, a result that suggested the Azzurri were capable of producing moments of genuine quality.
The betting markets reflected the gulf in class. The All Blacks were priced at $1.02 to win, while Italy sat at $13.00. A win by thirteen points or more for New Zealand was available at $1.15. The odds were not kind to the visitors, but they were not entirely dismissive either. In rugby, as in life, the script does not always follow the odds. Italy had shown they could compete. The question was whether they could do it in Wellington, on a day when the All Blacks were hungry to erase the memory of their last time on that ground.
Notable Quotes
Italy showed they could compete at the highest level by defeating England 23-18 in the Six Nations earlier in the year— Match context
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does this match matter beyond the obvious—that New Zealand is heavily favored?
Because it's the first time the All Blacks are playing in Wellington since that loss to South Africa. There's a weight to returning to a place where you've been humbled. And this new Nations Championship format means the stakes are different now—it's not just a friendly or a tour match. It's part of a structured tournament that happens every two years.
Italy has never beaten New Zealand. Not once in seventeen matches. How do you even prepare for that kind of history?
You don't think about it, probably. You focus on what you did wrong last time—they lost to Japan by seventeen points just before this game. You find the small things: discipline, set piece, field position. But yes, the weight of that record is real. It shapes how both teams approach the game.
The All Blacks have a mixed record at HNRY Stadium lately. Three losses in their last six matches there. Is that a concern?
It should be. A new coach wants to establish identity and control. Losing at home, even in patches, undermines that. Wellington is supposed to be a place where you're strong. The fact that they're not right now—that's something Rennie needs to fix, and Italy is the first test of whether he can.
What does it say that Italy beat England in the Six Nations earlier this year?
It says they're not a pushover anymore. They have moments. They have players who can execute. The problem is consistency—they beat England but then lost to Wales, France, and Ireland. Against New Zealand, they need to string together eighty minutes of that best version of themselves. That's the real challenge.
Two uncapped players on the All Blacks bench. Is Rennie still experimenting?
Yes. He's building depth, testing combinations. That's what you do in the early stages of a new era. But it also means there's a bit of uncertainty in the squad. Italy might find an opening if the All Blacks are not sharp from the start.