New Zealand against Italy in Wellington: a test of character in the second round of the Nations Championship
New Zealand and Italy arrive in Wellington under different pressure, but with the same goal: to remain in the fight for a high finish in the first edition of the Nations Championship. The match is played at Hnry Stadium, a stadium on Wellington's waterfront, where the All Blacks return in front of their home crowd after a dramatic opening of the competition against France.
For New Zealand, this is the continuation of a new cycle under Dave Rennie. The first match brought a 34-32 win against France in Christchurch, but also enough warnings: France was close, the rhythm occasionally broke down, and the defence did not look as closed as the All Blacks want against teams that like to spread the game. Italy, on the other hand, arrives after a 27-10 defeat to Japan in Tokyo. That result increases the pressure on the Azzurri because, after Wellington, they face another difficult away test against Australia in Perth.
Tickets for this match are in demand among fans, partly because Hnry Stadium states that this will be the first time the All Blacks and Italy have played each other in Wellington.
What is at stake in the second round
The Nations Championship is conceived as a competition that gives greater weight to the July and November international windows. It features 12 national teams: six European sides, four from the traditional Rugby Championship circle, plus Fiji and Japan. The first part is played in July, the second in November, and the final weekend determines the ranking between the hemispheres.
That means New Zealand against Italy is not just "another test". Points and impressions from the opening rounds create the path towards the finale. New Zealand took the first step with the win against France, but against Italy it must confirm that it can control a match, not only win an open thriller. Italy must respond after Tokyo, especially because the defeat to Japan did not leave the impression of a team that had fully used its attacking potential.
Opening picture of the competition
- New Zealand defeated France 34-32 in Christchurch in the first round.
- Italy lost to Japan 27-10 in Tokyo in the first round.
- The match in Wellington is part of the second round of the southern series of the Nations Championship.
- After Italy, New Zealand plays against Ireland at Eden Park.
- After Wellington, Italy faces an away match against Australia in Perth.
All Blacks: a new captain, a strong core and the first test of stability
The most important change in the New Zealand camp is leadership. Ardie Savea has been named captain for 2026 and leads a group of 34 players that also includes four debutants. Dave Rennie completed his first selection job with a clear message: he wants a team that can play fast, aggressively and physically, but without losing structure.
Against France, the All Blacks showed both strength and shortcomings. The 34-32 win shows that the team has enough individual quality to decide a match, but the duel with Italy requires a different kind of maturity. If New Zealand leaves the Azzurri in the result for too long, Italy has enough experience in the Paolo Garbisi - Stephen Varney pair and enough power in the back row to turn the match into an uncomfortable tactical duel.
In the first match against France, the starting line-up included Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Josh Lord, Sam Darry, Peter Lakai, Luke Jacobson, Ardie Savea, Cam Roigard, Ruben Love, Caleb Clarke, Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie. That combination gives New Zealand plenty of tempo behind the pack, but also several questions: how much will Rennie rotate for Italy, will he keep Ruben Love at fly-half and how many minutes can he ask from veterans such as Beauden Barrett if he includes him in the match plan.
Players around whom the New Zealand story is being built
- Ardie Savea - captain, leader of the back row and a player who changes the rhythm of the match with contact and by reading space.
- Cam Roigard - scrum-half who gives speed to the exit from the ruck and can punish the defence if it sets up too wide.
- Will Jordan - one of the most dangerous finishers when the All Blacks get clean ball towards the touchline.
- Damian McKenzie - a player who can attack from deep, change angles and take responsibility for the kicking game.
- Jordie Barrett - important for stability in midfield, high balls and defensive organisation.
Injuries have already shaped the New Zealand squad. Scott Barrett, Tamaiti Williams, Fabian Holland and Leicester Fainga'anuku are listed among the players unavailable because of injuries. That especially changes the picture in the physical part of the match, because Italy has enough powerful ball carriers to test the depth of the New Zealand pack.
Italy: after Tokyo, a response is needed without several important names
Gonzalo Quesada has taken 33 players for the July part of the Nations Championship. The squad also includes three players without senior international appearances at the time the list was announced: Giulio Marini, Alessandro Ortombina and Malik Faissal. Against Japan, Ortombina and Faissal were in the starting line-up, which shows that Italy on this trip is not relying only on experience, but also on developing depth.
The biggest problem for Quesada is player availability. Ange Capuozzo and Giacomo Nicotera were not taken into consideration because they remained tied to the Top 14 finale and could not go through preparations with the national team. Simone Ferrari, Sebastian Negri, Martin Page-Relo, Edoardo Todaro, Giosuè Zilocchi and Manuel Zuliani were on the injured list. These are absences that hurt especially against New Zealand, because such a match demands both bench depth and discipline in contact.
Italy has already shown in 2026 that it can be dangerous. In the Six Nations it defeated Scotland 18-15 and England 23-18, but then lost to Ireland 20-13, France 33-8 and Wales 31-17, before the defeat to Japan. That is the picture of a team that has the quality for big victories, but is still searching for consistency against the fastest and physically strongest opponents.
Italian points of support
- Michele Lamaro - captain, worker in defence and a player who must maintain the discipline of the back row.
- Paolo Garbisi - fly-half, main organiser of the attack and an important kicker.
- Juan Ignacio Brex - centre who scored the Italian try against Japan.
- Tommaso Menoncello - powerful ball carrier in midfield and important for breaking the first defensive line.
- Monty Ioane - wing who gives Italy directness and speed in the open field.
For Italy, it is crucial to avoid a match in which it spends too much time without the ball. If the Azzurri allow New Zealand series of quick phases after contact, the defence will be forced to move towards the edge, and then space opens for Jordan, Clarke or McKenzie. Italy must slow the ruck, control New Zealand's exit from its own half and turn every visit to the opposition 22 metres into points.
Head-to-head record: Italy chasing a historic step forward
New Zealand has an extremely dominant head-to-head run against Italy. In more recent meetings, the All Blacks won 29-11 in Turin in 2024, 96-17 at the 2023 World Cup, 47-9 in Rome in 2021 and 66-3 in Rome in 2018. The only result in that sequence that carries no real playing value is the 0-0 from 2019, when the match was not played.
Such history does not have to decide the match, but it shapes the psychology of the encounter. New Zealand knows that it is the favourite and that any tight score in the second half will be considered a problem. Italy knows that it does not carry the burden of expected victory, but it has an opportunity to show that the gap to the strongest is narrowing.
Last head-to-head meetings
- Italy 11-29 New Zealand - test match, 2024.
- New Zealand 96-17 Italy - World Cup, 2023.
- Italy 9-47 New Zealand - test match, 2021.
- New Zealand 0-0 Italy - World Cup, 2019, match not played.
- Italy 3-66 New Zealand - test match, 2018.
Tactical picture: the speed of the All Blacks against Italian discipline
New Zealand will probably look for a wide game, quick ruck clearing and a constant threat from deep. If Roigard or Ratima get clean ball, the All Blacks can quickly shift the attack from one side to the other. The role of Savea and Lakai is important there, because the back row must win metres through contact and prevent Italy from setting its defence in time.
Italy will have to choose its moments for risk. Garbisi must not constantly give the ball back to New Zealand with deep kicks without pressure, but neither should he force passes in his own half. The best Italian scenario is a match with many stoppages, a good line-out, precise kicks towards the corner and a defence that pushes New Zealand into impatience.
A special point will be the aerial duel. Wellington often requires adjustment to the wind, and Hnry Stadium is an open stadium with characteristic waterfront conditions. High balls towards the wings and full-backs could be an important part of the plan, especially if one team judges that the opponent is insecure under pressure.
Hnry Stadium: a waterfront stage for the first meeting of these national teams in Wellington
Hnry Stadium is located at 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea, in Wellington. The stadium has 34,500 seats, of which 24,000 are covered. It is known by the nickname "The Cake Tin" because of its recognisable shape, and on rugby evenings the emphasis is on the closeness of the stands and the sound that is retained in the enclosed oval form of the seating bowl.
For fans, the location is also important. The stadium is close to Wellington's business centre, and it can be reached on foot from the direction of the railway station via the Fran Wilde Walkway. The walkway towards the stadium is about 650 to 680 metres long, depending on the measurement point cited by the stadium, and leads directly towards the entrances. For visitors arriving for the first time, that is the simplest route: arrive by public transport to Wellington Railway Station, then continue on foot.
Seats in the stands are disappearing quickly, and for this match it is especially important to plan arrival earlier because parking for the event is marked as sold out, with a limited remaining number of spaces for people with reduced mobility.
Practical information for arrival
- The stadium address is 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea, Wellington, NZ.
- The stadium gates open at 15:00 local time.
- Kick-off is scheduled for 17:10 local time.
- The simplest arrival is via Wellington Railway Station and the Fran Wilde Walkway.
- Parking for the event is marked as sold out, with limited spaces for people with reduced mobility.
Wellington as host city
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and a port city on the southern part of the North Island. For fans travelling to the match, it is practical because the railway station, the business centre, the waterfront promenade and the stadium are relatively close. That means part of the arrival can be planned on foot, without relying on a car in the zone around the stadium.
Because of its position by the water, the weather in Wellington can be changeable. Fans arriving earlier should count on layered clothing and enough time to pass towards the entrances. The stadium has a large number of covered seats, but the way to it and waiting in front of the entrances depend on weather conditions.
The match at 17:10 allows arrival during the afternoon, but also creates crowds in the final hour before kick-off. That is why it is practical to arrive earlier, especially if a ticket is being collected, a meeting with a group is being arranged or the densest wave of arrival across the walkway is to be avoided.
The atmosphere fans can expect
The All Blacks in Wellington always carry a strong local charge, but this encounter has an additional layer because it is played in a new competition and against Italy, which is coming for this kind of head-to-head meeting in the city for the first time. Hnry Stadium is large enough for a true test atmosphere, but also compact enough for the pressure from the stands to be felt in moments when the home side increases the tempo.
For a neutral spectator, the most interesting thing will be to follow whether Italy can stay in the match after the first 20 minutes. If New Zealand gets away early, the match can move in the direction of home control. If the Azzurri survive the opening, win several penalties and force the All Blacks to play from their own half, Wellington could get a more tense match than the historical record suggests.
Ticket sales for this match are ongoing. It is worth securing tickets in time, especially for fans who plan to arrive from outside Wellington and must coordinate accommodation, transport and entry to the stadium.
What can decide the match
The first point is discipline. New Zealand must not gift Italy metres through penalties, because Garbisi can direct play towards the corner and give the Azzurri a chance through the line-out. The second point is ball speed. If the All Blacks get quick ball after first contact, the Italian defence will have to spread and compress in intervals that are too short. The third point is execution. Italy led against Japan through Brex, but did not turn a good start into control of the match.
For Italy, the recipe is clear: reduce the number of turnovers, play smartly with the boot and keep the score alive until the final 20 minutes. For New Zealand, the task is different: confirm the win against France, avoid nervousness and show that Rennie's team can win even when complete control is expected of it.
Three duels to watch
- Ardie Savea against Michele Lamaro - a captain's duel in the back row and a fight for tempo at the ruck.
- Cam Roigard against Stephen Varney - distribution speed and decisions after stoppages can change the rhythm of the match.
- Will Jordan against the Italian outside backs - if Jordan gets space, Italy will struggle to close the width.
- Paolo Garbisi against New Zealand pressure - the quality of the first pass and the kick from hand will be the key to Italy's exit from pressure.
Sources before the match
Sources:
- Hnry Stadium - date, kick-off time, gate opening, parking status, address, walking access and basic stadium information were used.
- All Blacks - information on the match in Wellington, the New Zealand squad, captain Ardie Savea, coach Dave Rennie and the home schedule was used.
- Federazione Italiana Rugby - the Italian player list, Italy's match schedule, absences and the starting line-up against Japan were used.
- Rugby World - the Nations Championship format, the list of participants and the second-round schedule were used.
- Sky Sports and TNT Sports - first-round results, Italy's form, recent head-to-head meetings and results of recent matches were used.
- Austadiums - verification of Hnry Stadium capacity and historical data on the stadium name was used.