All Blacks battle but Flynn seals it

Italy achieved its best result, on the scoreboard at least, but the All Blacks made the most of their one try-scoring chance to claim a 20-6 win at the San Siro Stadium in Milan on Sunday (NZT).

It was never an attacking game to win the hearts of the 80,000 who turned out in the soccer enclave to watch a committed Italian team produce a fine defensive effort aimed at minimising the opportunities for the All Blacks to move the ball as is their preference.

Italy attempted to gain parity with the All Blacks through its powerful scrum, courtesy of its powerful tighthead scrummager Martin Castrogiovanni and support from loosehead Salvatore Perugini. No.8 Sergio Parisse made some strong runs from the base of the scrum and showed his individual skill with one deft chip which he regathered to set up a strong run in the 70th minute.

But for all the ball (63 percent), and territory (64 percent), Italy enjoyed it took often kicked ball away, with Gower most often the culprit. In the breakdown the All Blacks showed their prowess with a 64-43 advantage.

However, in the last six minutes as 13 successive scrums were set five metres from the All Blacks line, and Neemia Tialata, having changed to the loosehead prop was sin-binned for taking a scrum down, the Italians were not able to get past a determined All Blacks pack.

The game did not flow and produced few moments to remember, but for the relatively inexperienced All Blacks side, it showed a solid base of intent and determination.

With Italy using a rush defence there was little room for the All Blacks and in their frustration to achieve a breakthrough they several times were guilty of committing forward passes as they attempted to work moves.

Hooker Corey Flynn marked his starting return to Test rugby with the first try of the game in the 24th minute.

It came from the best All Blacks scrum of the game. No.8 Rodney So'oialo broke right and from the breakdown it was moved left twice, before centre Tamati Ellison took the tackle for the ball to be moved through wing Sitiveni Sivivatu to Flynn waiting on the sideline. He drove over in the corner and after a lengthy delay to check the touchdown.

It added to the penalty goals landed by second five-eighths Luke McAlister in the sixth and 13th minutes while Italy's first five-eighths Craig Gower had opened the scoring in the third minute with his first penalty goal.

McAlister landed his third penalty goal of half, three minutes from the break, to give New Zealand a 14-3 lead.

Italy's second five-eighths Gonzalo Garcia was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle three minutes into the second half and McAlister landed his fourth penalty goal.

Italy put its scrum to use as play re-started and went close to scoring as the ball was moved in a rare backline movement and centre Gonzalo Canale was firstly stopped, and then had the ball held up, by halfback Andrew Ellis. It proved a vital play in front of the posts as the All Blacks gained a vital turnover to feed the scrum.

With three debut players making an appearance, there were mixed results. First five-eighths Mike Delany bore the brunt of the close attentions of the home side but generally coped well but, by comparison, centre Tamati Ellison had few chances to run with the ball and was confined to a largely defensive role.

Wing Ben Smith had a horror start when dropping the first ball sent his way, but he recovered to not put a foot wrong and went close to scoring from a clever Delany cross-kick only to be undone by a poor bounce.

Italy would have taken much from such a close result, but there was plenty for the All Blacks to savour in terms of experience gained in a white-hot atmosphere against a committed opponent.

Scorers:

New Zealand 20 (Corey Flynn try; Luke McAlister 5 pen) Italy 6 (Craig Gower 2 pen). HT: 14-3