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MARSEILLE - Italy wing Kaine Robertson has a few points to prove in his side's rugby World Cup opener against New Zealand on Saturday.
"It's quite personal because I've got a lot of friends back home who gave me some stick last time we played the All Blacks," the 26-year-old Aucklander said.
"The last time we played the All Blacks we lost 59-10.
"We just stood back and waited for them for the first 20 minutes, but hopefully we've learned that lesson and we won't be watching them this time."
Robertson may be Auckland-born, but he insisted there would be no clash of loyalties on Saturday.
"I've been nine years in Italy, I feel more Italian so it's pizza now.
"But the last time I played against the All Blacks it was a November test so the atmosphere wasn't as good as it will be on Saturday.
"I'm going to try and take it as a normal game and hopefully the emotions won't take over."
If selected Robertson will find himself playing against former schoolmate, Doug Howlett, although with both men playing on the right wing there will be no direct head-to-head confrontation on Saturday.
"He was two years above me at school and a bit of a rock star," said Robertson. "We didn't play together at school, but I ran against him and he beat me."
Although the All Blacks are expected to win comfortably on Saturday, the Italians go into the game in fine fettle having slipped to a narrow 23-20 defeat to Ireland at the end of last month.
"There were a lot of positives to take from the Ireland match," said the winger. "They were close to winning the Six Nations and we matched them apart from a decision which went against us in the last second.
"For us the result against the All Blacks isn't that important as long as we can play well and front them up for some of the match."
- REUTERS
