I am very pleased the spine of hooker, 8, halfback, ten and fullback has remained the same.
NC: All Blacks
Match thread
Italy
Basically happy with that 23 to take on Italy.
Might have been a good one to have given Preston some time at half back. The drop off in that position after Cam Roigard is massive.
@Dan54 said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Guess that shows why you not an AB selector or coach, if you wasted picks like that. You would just put him on coaching staff.
He's got a big fat playing contract.
How they handle that is tricky business, if you don't want to use him.
Not like the old days; you'd just say thanks for your efforts, goodbye.
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Have they said anything about Lakai and if that’s an injury replacement, rotation or searching for the right loose forward combination?
Numia, Aumua and Lakai have had massive workloads this year so probably a good chance for them to freshen up like they’ve done with Tosi.
@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Have they said anything about Lakai and if that’s an injury replacement, rotation or searching for the right loose forward combination?
Numia, Aumua and Lakai have had massive workloads this year so probably a good chance for them to freshen up like they’ve done with Tosi.
They've also made it clear they are going to give players selected in the 34 a run so this ticks that off too
Watching DSPN and they’re saying it’s a little conservative. Totally disagree. You’ve got 3 tests to bed in the new coaching before the tour. Need to get consistency while having a look at the positions they’re not 100% sold on.
Beauden won’t play until he rolls out with the dirt trackers.
Someone like Quinn probably needs a rest. Caleb didn’t go so great so compare him to Leroy.
Always love to see an AB team with future captain Sam Darry. FCSD.
@game_film said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Always love to see an AB team with future captain Sam Darry. FCSD.
Was watching the top 100 NZ songs on RNZ and spotted this in one of the videos.
@game_film said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Watching DSPN and they’re saying it’s a little conservative. Totally disagree. You’ve got 3 tests to bed in the new coaching before the tour. Need to get consistency while having a look at the positions they’re not 100% sold on.
Beauden won’t play until he rolls out with the dirt trackers.
Someone like Quinn probably needs a rest. Caleb didn’t go so great so compare him to Leroy.
Always love to see an AB team with future captain Sam Darry. FCSD.
By ‘conservative’, they mean it’s not a complete B team that’ll play chaotic rugby and make the game worthless for evaluating players.
My own slight complaints are Taylor at hooker and ALB on the bench. Otherwise pretty good team for Italy.
@mariner4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
oh good so BB v Ireland? When has that ever gone wrong?
Let's hope it is just a brief cameo and a farewell from the bench.
I really dislike the way he is blocking younger talent from the squad, but maybe a standing ovation from Eden Park as he comes on with four minutes to go against Ireland would be a fitting way for a once (and it was a decade ago) great All Black to end his international career?
@sparky said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@mariner4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
oh good so BB v Ireland? When has that ever gone wrong?
Let's hope it is just a brief cameo and a farewell from the bench.
I really dislike the way he is blocking younger talent from the squad, but maybe a standing ovation from Eden Park as he comes on with four minutes to go against Ireland would be a fitting way for a once (and it was a decade ago) great All Black to end his international career?
I'd still be very surprised if he doesn't travel to South Africa, but Eden Park could be his last Test.
Italy team to play New Zealand
Starting XV
- Danilo Fischetti
- Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
- Marco Riccioni
- Niccolò Cannone
- Andrea Zambonin
- Ross Vintcint
- Michele Lamaro (C)
- Lorenzo Cannone
- Stephen Varney
- Paolo Garbisi
- Louis Lynach
- Tommaso Menoncello
- Juan Ignacio Brex
- Malik Faissal
- Tommaso Allan
Reserves - Gianmarco Lucchesi
- Mirco Spagnolo
- Muhamed Hasa
- Giulio Marini *
- Federico Ruzza
- Riccardo Favretto
- Alessandro Garbisi
- Leonardo Marin
- Denotes uncapped
@Daffy-Jaffy said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Italy team to play New Zealand
Starting XV
- Danilo Fischetti
- Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
- Marco Riccioni
- Niccolò Cannone
- Andrea Zambonin
- Ross Vintcint
- Michele Lamaro (C)
- Lorenzo Cannone
- Stephen Varney
- Paolo Garbisi
- Louis Lynach
12. Tommaso Menoncello- Juan Ignacio Brex
- Malik Faissal
- Tommaso Allan
Reserves- Gianmarco Lucchesi
- Mirco Spagnolo
- Muhamed Hasa
- Giulio Marini *
- Federico Ruzza
- Riccardo Favretto
- Alessandro Garbisi
- Leonardo Marin
- Denotes uncapped
Class player, potential to be the best in the world.
Here’s a stat, Roigard, Love, J Barrett and Proctor have a 91% winning record when starting together. Hope that carries on well into the future.
@Victor-Meldrew said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Italy are developing some pretty classy players these days and are no longer easy-beats. Lamoro and Garbisi are also up there.
Think Saturday's game will be a fun watch and maybe a bit closer than expected
Think it depends on the weather. Wouldn't be surprised if it ends up a bit like the last time Italy came to NZ.
@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Here’s a stat, Roigard, Love, J Barrett and Proctor have a 91% winning record when starting together. Hope that carries on well into the future.
Your loyalty knows no bounds 
@zedsdeadbaby said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
The Rugby Direct guys mentioned a stat that it’s the first time Jacobson has started back to back test weeks.
That is true.
He has started 11 tests and has only started in consecutive tests back in 2021, but there was a 3 week gap between those tests.
@BerniesCorner said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Here’s a stat, Roigard, Love, J Barrett and Proctor have a 91% winning record when starting together. Hope that carries on well into the future.
Your loyalty knows no bounds
Sky Sport shared it on the test preview show, thought it would be rude not to share. 
@mariner4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
oh good so BB v Ireland? When has that ever gone wrong?
And he’ll play the house down and start the first Boks test.
@ACT-Crusader I used to think you were a good guy
@ACT-Crusader that is his hair
@MN5 said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@Daffy-Jaffy said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Italy team to play New Zealand
Starting XV
- Danilo Fischetti
- Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
- Marco Riccioni
- Niccolò Cannone
- Andrea Zambonin
- Ross Vintcint
- Michele Lamaro (C)
- Lorenzo Cannone
- Stephen Varney
- Paolo Garbisi
- Louis Lynach
12. Tommaso Menoncello- Juan Ignacio Brex
- Malik Faissal
- Tommaso Allan
Reserves- Gianmarco Lucchesi
- Mirco Spagnolo
- Muhamed Hasa
- Giulio Marini *
- Federico Ruzza
- Riccardo Favretto
- Alessandro Garbisi
- Leonardo Marin
- Denotes uncapped
Class player, potential to be the best in the world.
Hmmm, I love cold glass of Menoncello as a digestif.
@ACT-Crusader said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@mariner4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
oh good so BB v Ireland? When has that ever gone wrong?
And he’ll play the house down and start the first Boks test.
4 tries and hold the ABs record
I’m more interested in what the pass mark is this week than the final margin.
I’d be looking at the quality of the performance: keeping Italy to maybe 15 points or fewer while winning comfortably, dominating the set piece and breakdown, being clinical with scoring opportunities, avoiding individual greed once the result is beyond doubt, cutting down the errors from last week, controlling territory and possession and controlling the game for the full 80 minutes.
It’s a big game for Proctor, if he does a better job than QT at defense he might have the inside running for next week
similar thoughts, proctor has the chanse to step up, shore up that midfield defence and link with the rest of the backline, relist goals i think
@Kiwiwomble said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
chanse
That's got to be a league player's name.
They might get 40 minutes each against Ireland. Half a game each against the same opposition (each half can be different with subs on and player fatigue) might go some way to finalising a decision about who gets first crack in South Africa.
@Kirwan said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
It’s a big game for Proctor, if he does a better job than QT at defense he might have the inside running for next week
Jeez that would be a bit rough. Italy who just got held to 10 points by Japan, vs a really very good French backline... that's a little uneven as a testing ground.
@reprobate I'm indifferent to whether they choose Tupaea or Proctor at 13. They have different strengths but I think they are of equal quality at 13. I would prefer Tupaea at 12 but am happy with Jordi who has the all court game and the combination with Love, Roigard and potentially Proctor.
