New Zealand vs Italy LIVE: Rugby World Cup result and reaction as ruthless All Blacks score 14 tries in rout
New Zealand 96-17 Italy: All Blacks turn on the style to hammer Italy and all but confirm place in World Cup quarter-finals
New Zealand ran in 14 tries to destroy Italy 96-17 for a bonus-point victory in Pool A and take a decisive step towards the quarter-finals at the Rugby World Cup on Friday.
The All Blacks, with lock Sam Whitelock celebrating a record 149th cap, showed no mercy at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium as Will Jordan (2), Aaron Smith (3), Mark Telea, Ardie Savea (2), Brodie Retallick, Dalton Papali’i, Dane Coles (2), Damian McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown scored tries -- all but one converted by Richie Mo’unga (9) or McKenzie (4).
Italy’s hopes of an upset quickly went up in smoke and they only got on the scoreboard thanks to second-half tries by Ange Capuozzo and Montanna Ioane as well as points from the tee by Tommaso Allan and Paolo Garbisi.
The result put New Zealand in second place with 10 points, ahead of the Azzurri on points difference and three points behind group leaders France, who will take on Italy next Friday, one day after the All Blacks face Uruguay.
Follow all the latest from the Pool A match below. Get all the Rugby World Cup odds here, plus the latest tips and free bets on the World Cup here.
The All Blacks are back! New Zealand score 14 tries to hammer Italy in World Cup rout
New Zealand made a huge statement of intent with a ruthless 96-17 thrashing of Italy in Pool A on Friday, running in 14 tries at OL stadium to take a big step towards the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
Physical up front and clinical at every sniff of the try-line, the three-time champions made a mockery of the idea that a new-look Italy side might scupper their campaign with a first win in 16 meetings between the sides.
Recap from Lyon:
The All Blacks are back! New Zealand score 14 tries to hammer Italy in World Cup rout
New Zealand 96-17 Italy: The All Blacks scored seven tries in each half to thrash Italy in Lyon
Rugby World Cup permutations: Which teams can qualify for quarter-finals?
The Rugby World Cup is hotting up as teams seek to secure their places in the quarter-finals.
The top two nations from each of the four pools will progress to the last eight, with the quarter-finals to be played on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 October in Marseille and Paris.
In the event of a two-way tie, the nation that won the encounter between the two teams will progress; in the event of a three-way tie, the nation that finishes with the best points difference will finish on top, followed by the team that won the fixture between the two remaining teams.
Teams receive four points for a win, with a bonus point available for scoring four tries or more. A losing bonus point is received if you finish within seven points of your opponents; a draw is worth two points.
The third spot in each pool is crucial, too – while this will not allow teams further involvement at this year’s World Cup, it will secure automatic qualification for the next tournament in Australia in 2027.
Updated with tonight’s result:
Rugby World Cup permutations: Which teams can qualify for quarter-finals?
The tournament will conclude with the final at the Stade de France on Saturday 28 October
Ardie Savea reacts to New Zealand’s win
“I’m very grateful,” the All Blacks number eight says. “I’m very proud. We’ve got talent all across tonight and we haven’t really clicked. Tonight we played some free rugby - that’s how I want to play. We put a lot of work into tonight and we reaped the rewards.”
FT: New Zealand 96-17 Italy
Italy now have to scoop themselves up off the deck to face France in seven days. It was a bit of a horror show from them tonight, defensively unable to cope with the All Blacks and with some old lineout woes reappearing at the worst possible time. Did they get the mentality wrong? Or did they never have a hope against a New Zealand side in that sort of mood?
FT: New Zealand 96-17 Italy
Pick your superlative - that was staggering stuff from the All Blacks, merciless in Lyon to squash any thought of an Italy upset. New Zealand fall four points short of a hundred having exhibited their lethal attacking game. The rest of the tournament are back, most certainly, on notice.
Seven tries in the first half, seven in the second - yowzer!
TRY! New Zealand 96-17 ITALY (Monty Ioane try, 82 minutes)
Italy have the final word!
It matters not bar the final accounting but that’s a bright moment at the last from Italy, Paolo Odogwu offloading to Monty Ioane, who just about beats Cam Roigard to the corner. The replay suggests further investigation might be required with boot close to touch and ball yet to meet ground, but TMO Brett Cronan is happy, and the All Blacks aren’t in a complaining mood - obviously.
New Zealand 96-10 Italy, 80 minutes
Almost! Sharp handling up the right sees long-time Hurricanes mates Ardie Savea and Dane Coles looking to connect, but the former’s offload is too hot to handle for the replacement hooker.
Italy clear up beyond halfway, where Damian McKenzie loses control on the floor.
New Zealand 96-10 Italy, 78 minutes
Brilliant from Italy - but a neck roll scuppers their chances of a consolation score! Fluid play as Italy belatedly show some fight, with Federico Ruzza’s giraffe-like strides almost taking him to the line, but Ardie Savea contests two phases later and Paolo Garbisi wrenches him away illegally. The All Blacks have two minutes to get to their ton.
TRY! NEW ZEALAND 96-10 Italy (Anton Lienert-Brown try, 76 minutes)
Another lovely lineout move and New Zealand are a score away from a century!
An arcing Dane Coles pulls back on the inside for Cam Roigard, with the rear of Italy’s defensive lineout exploited again. Roigard sets up Anton Lienert-Brown, who dots down under the sticks.
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