Kieran Read leads the haka in his first game as captain against Italy in Rome four years ago. Photo / Photosport Dan Sheridan
Ireland are hogging the rugby headlines after beating the All Blacks in Chicago, but there is another test to deal with before the re-match in Dublin. The All Blacks will try to get their mojo back in Rome on Sunday - here's a potted history of matches between New Zealand
and Italy.
Smallest margin1991: New Zealand 31, Italy 21. Leicester
The first rugby test at Welford Rd in 68 years, and what was a strong All Black side by reputation had a bit of a shocker in this final World Cup pool game. Names like Kirwan, Tuigamala, Fox, Whetton, Jones and Fitzpatrick pop out from the team sheet. The All Blacks had led 31 - 12, but their performance was a far cry from the brilliant opening against the same team in the inaugural World Cup game at Eden Park four years earlier.
Biggest win1999: New Zealand 101, Italy 3. Huddersfield
An All Black team with only a few first stringers, including Jeff Wilson who got a hat trick of tries, went on a rampage against an Italian team which had been smashed by England in an earlier pool game. As a curio, Jonah Lomu - a schoolboy forward - finished the game playing at No.8. A huge win, but an infamous quarter-final against France was just a couple of weeks away.
