Cullen and Caleb clean up Italy

10:00pm By COLIN KENNEDY

A gutsy performance by Italy was not enough to stem the All Black tide at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Saturday night as New Zealand swept to a 64-10 win.

Despite ominous signs from the All Blacks early on the Italians hung on for much of the match but were undone by the sterling efforts of Christian Cullen, Caleb Ralph and Joe McDonnell.

Ralph scored the first of his three tries shortly after kick-off when Cullen signaled his intention to attack the outside before putting the winger away for his debut try. First-five-eighth Andrew Mehrtens converted to put New Zealand ahead 7-0.

Cullen frequently injected himself into the line and seemed to revel in his freedom to run at will. But the next try belonged to McDonnell who scored from a strong forward drive, followed by another try from another prop in Kees Meeuws. Mehrtens kicked a penalty and converted both McDonnell and Meeuws tries.

Italy responded with a solitary penalty from South African born fullback Gert Peens for a first half score of 3-24.

In the second half Caleb Ralph picked up where he had left off with his second try, and then another to bring his match tally to three. Mehrtens converted one and missed one to keep New Zealand ahead at 36-3.

Despite sometimes untidy work from the All Blacks, halfback Byron Kelleher was next to cross the Italian goal line. Mehrtens conversion put the score at 43-3.

Next Italy struck back with a deserved try from captain and lock forward Marco Bortolami after he anticipated an All Black pass and intercepted the ball to run 48 metres to score. Peens' conversion made it 43-10.

Despite the Italians' effort to unleash some Latin flair at the tail end of the second half, it was New Zealand who ran away with the game with a try from substitute Jonah Lomu – his 35th test try – and conversion from Mehrtens to give the men in black their 50th point.

Next Christian Cullen picked up a ball behind the New Zealand poles and kicked ahead before collecting his own ball on the halfway line and out-sprinting the Italian defence to dot down. Mehrtens converted.

Another prop forward try from Dave Hewett and another Mehrtens conversion finished off the Italian challenge at 64-10.

Stand out players for Italy were Peens, Bortolami and especially substitute halfback Juan Manuel Queirolo who's constant pressure made life very difficult for Kelleher.