Familiar faces try to avoid usual results for tourists

By CHRIS RATTUE

New Zealand knows plenty about the Italian and Fijian sides' coaches.

The All Blacks' first opponents this year, Italy, are coached by former All Blacks John Kirwan and his assistant Leicester Rutledge.

Kirwan has had a rapid rise since a one-year stint as the Blues assistant, and Rutledge cut his teeth as a coach with Southland, a province he represented for so long as a player.

Mac McCallion, the former Blues assistant who had tremendous success with Counties Manukau, now leads Fiji.

Both nations were also previously coached by former All Black Brad Johnstone, who was less than happy about Kirwan's elevation into his position with the Italian side.

Although most of the players from both sides are hardly household names in this country, it is safe to assume that neither will get close to toppling the All Blacks.

Italy, who opened their tour with a scrappy win over second-division Manawatu on Wednesday when five players made their debut, have a further warm-up game tomorrow against a divisional side before taking on the All Blacks in Hamilton.

Their last test victory, ironically, was a 66-10 triumph over Fiji in Treviso in November.

Since then, they have been beaten by South Africa and Samoa and lost all of their Six Nations matches, all by big margins.

And their squad has been hit by a series of withdrawals, including star first five-eighths Diego Dominguez and his likely replacement Ramiro Pez.

Italy's best effort against the All Blacks came at the 1991 World Cup when they were beaten 31-21 at Leicester.

Fiji begin their home-and-away series of World Cup qualifying matches today, when they face Samoa in Apia.

Like Italy, they will be battling the odds against the All Blacks in Wellington on June 29. This match will raise money for the Fiji Rugby Union.

Fiji showed some encouraging form in winning last year's Pacific Rim Championship, beating Samoa in the final played in Tokyo.

Although most of their squad will also be unknowns in this country, their strike power is on the wing.

There they can pick Super 12 players Marika Vunibaka and Rupeni Caucaunibuca, and Northland's Fero Lasagavibau and sevens star Vilimoni Delasau.

The backs also include Reds halfback Jacob Rauluni, and Nicky Little, the former North Harbour first five-eighths, who now plays for Pontypridd.

Fiji also face the problem of having to bring players back from their professional clubs around the world.

Fiji have been thrashed by the All Blacks in official tests - by 71-5 in a 1987 World Cup game in Christchurch, and a decade later by 74-13 at Albany.