KEY POINTS:
MARSEILLE - Italy have matched the All Blacks up front - literally - in picking an experienced side for the World Cup pool C match here on Saturday.
Coach Pierre Berbezier has not named his strongest team but it is closer to it than many sceptics were predicting.
The Italians have a second pool game against Romania at the same Stade Velodrome venue on Thursday (NZ time) so Berbezier was keen not to burn out all his key strike weapons.
However, most of them will face New Zealand, particularly in a forward pack that numbers 361 test caps between them, exactly the same number as the hardened All Blacks eight.
And behind them is the heartbeat of their side through this year's encouraging Six Nations campaign, halfback Alessandro Troncon, who is just three caps short of 100 tests.
The long-haired Bergamasco brothers - centre Mirco and flanker Mauro - will bring energy and are among just four survivors from the Italian team who lost 7-70 in the opening match for both teams at the 2003 World Cup. The others are prop Salvatore Perugini and centre Andrea Masi.
New Zealand-born and - raised Kaine Robertson is on the wing but on the opposite side of the field to Doug Howlett, who was a schoolmate at Auckland Grammar.
There are 11 faces returning from the Azzurri side team who nearly toppled Ireland in Belfast last month before losing 20-23.
Two key players missing are attacking midfielder Gonzalo Canale and veteran prop Andrea Lo Cicero, who are both on the reserve bench.
Even without Lo Cicero, the Italians are expected to provide a staunch challenge to the All Blacks in the set pieces.
The team is led by lock Marco Bortolami in his 62nd international.
ITALY
David Bortolussi, Kaine Robertson, Andrea Masi, Mirco Bergamasco, Marko Stanojevic, Roland de Marigny, Alessandro Troncon, Sergio Parisse, Mauro Bergamasco, Alessandro Zanni, Marco Bortolami (captain), Santiago Dellape, Martin Castrogiovanni, Fabio Ongaro, Salvatore Perugini.
Reserves: Carlo Festuccia, Andrea Lo Cicero, Valerio Bernabo, Manoa Vosawai, Paul Griffen, Gonzalo Canale, Ezio Galon
- NZPA
