{"id":289510,"date":"2023-09-29T22:38:10","date_gmt":"2023-09-29T22:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=289510"},"modified":"2023-09-29T22:38:10","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T22:38:10","slug":"new-zealand-italy-rampant-all-blacks-lay-down-world-cup-marker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/rugby-union\/new-zealand-italy-rampant-all-blacks-lay-down-world-cup-marker\/","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand – Italy: Rampant All Blacks lay down World Cup marker"},"content":{"rendered":"
Aaron Smith claimed a first-half hat-trick on a night of All Black magic, as written-off New Zealand delivered a stunning statement about their revived status as prime World Cup challengers.<\/p>\n
This result will send shockwaves around the tournament. Italy were put to the sword as if they were hapless part-timers. They were utterly humiliated; conceding 14 tries and only just keeping the score against them to double-figures.<\/p>\n
To think that there was pre-match speculation about the possibility of an upset. It didn\u2019t take long for that outlandish theory to be buried under an avalanche of points and the ominous rumble of so much one-way traffic. Smith ran amok. Jordie Barrett was magnificent in midfield.<\/p>\n
Ardie Savea led the onslaught \u2013 rampaging through feeble Azzurri tackles. All Blacks queued up to win turn-overs. Richie Mo\u2019unga kept hitting the target with wide conversions. Later, when the dam had long since burst, some of the running lines and handling feats were astonishing to behold. It was a dazzling exhibition of New Zealand rugby in full flow.<\/p>\n
\u2018People created a lot of panic about our chances, after we lost that first game, but the critical game in the pool was always going to be this one and it was a really good performance,\u2019 said their head coach, Ian Foster. \u2018We have a lot of respect for Italy and I didn\u2019t see that game coming, to that extent. We took their hope away in the first 20 minutes.\u2019<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The New Zealand players celebrate as the send out a World Cup warning in incredible win\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Aaron Smith scored one of his three tries as New Zealand annihilate Italy at the World Cup\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The 96-17 win included fourteen tries for the All Blacks as they thrashed Italy in Lyon\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ireland will have watched the drama from their base in Tours and been left to ponder the daunting task they are likely to face in a quarter-final against Friday night’s rampant victors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On the evidence of this glaring mismatch, Andy Farrell\u2019s side \u2013 ranked No 1 in the world \u2013 will have to climb a higher peak than the one they scaled to beat South Africa, if they are to reach the last eight.<\/p>\n
New Zealand came into the game fourth in the rankings, but had fallen off just about every short list of potential champions since losing the tournament opener 27-13 against France in Paris.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While all the awe-struck talk had been about the Irish, Springboks and French as title favourites, the All Blacks were briefly under the radar, but they\u2019re firmly back on it now.<\/p>\n
Foster\u2019s tenure in charge had been drawing to a close without the usual Kiwi expectations of another global conquest. On his watch, the famed All Black aura has diminished.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They have been all too human; all too mortal. New Zealand fans have been counting down to when Scott Robertson \u2013 who has masterminded an era of Crusaders glory and is seen as a visionary coach \u2013 takes charge.<\/p>\n
Well, it is time to pause that count. Here was emphatic proof that it is wrong to discount any New Zealand team, even one which has endured various indignities, culminating in a record-breaking 35-7 capitulation at the hands of South Africa at Twickenham late last month.<\/p>\n
The aura might have slipped, but the super skills haven\u2019t. That much was evident early on Friday night, as the screw was turned on the stunned Italians. Kieran Crowley\u2019s side fell apart, but they were trying in vain to keep a lid on multi-dimensional brilliance.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Will Jordan is all smiles are scoring two tries in New Zealand’s rampant victory over Italy\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It was a disappointing night for the Italilans who could now live with New Zealand\u00a0<\/p>\n
The first half was soon a procession. Strike one; Jordie Barrett\u2019s cross-kick was well taken by Will Jordan, who leapt to finish. Strike two; Smith touched down from a lineout drive. Strike three; Savea burst clear and Beauden Barrett\u2019s wide pass released Mark Telea to score. Strike four; Savea stormed over from another close-range lineout.<\/p>\n
On and on it went. Strike five; Codie Taylor sent Smith away for his second. Strike six; Mo\u2019unga\u2019s glorious, delayed pass picked out Jordie Barrett and he put Smith clear for his hat-trick. Strike seven; New Zealand\u2019s pack battered the Italian line and Savea scored again. Mo\u2019unga\u2019s batch of perfect conversions made it 49-3 at half-time. Forty-nine. At half-time.<\/p>\n
After the break, Ange Capuozzo scored in the right corner for Italy and they celebrated wildly. But after Sam Whitelock came on to become the most-capped All Black with 149 Test appearances, his erstwhile lock partner, Brodie Retallick, scored the Kiwis\u2019 eighth try.<\/p>\n
There was no let-up. Dalton Papali\u2019i scored the ninth. The 10th was claimed by Dane Coles. The 11th went to Damian McKenzie, the 12th to Jordan, the 13th to Coles. It was unrelenting. Anton Lienert-Brown pounced for try No 14. Italy were broken, before Monty Ioane\u2019s hollowest of consolations.<\/p>\n