All Blacks overcome stubborn Italy as Cane departs on a high

New Zealand completed their Autumn Nations Series campaign with a 29-11 win over stubborn Italy as legends Sam Cane and TJ Perenara bowed out from international rugby.

Tries from Cam Roigard and Will Jordan gave the All Blacks the lead in a hard-fought first half and Mark Tele’a added a third after the break, before Tommaso Menoncello and Beauden Barrett exchanged late scores.

It was a historic moment in Turin as the Azzurri took to the pitch at the Allianz Stadium, home of Serie A giants Juventus, for the first time, while All Blacks legends and 2015 World Cup winners Cane and Perenara featured for their country for the final time.

The result meant New Zealand finished their autumn campaign with wins over England, Ireland and Italy and a one-point defeat to France, while the Azzurri were left with just one victory to celebrate against Georgia following their defeats against Argentina and in Turin.

Italy started brightly with some abrasive defence and strong kicking from Paolo Garbisi giving them a 6-3 lead, but the All Blacks soon wrestled the momentum back in their favour despite lock Scott Barrett spending 10 minutes in the sin bin for a neck roll.

Roigard spotted a gap in the Italian defence to dive over the line before Jordan flew across the whitewash on the brink of half-time to move ahead of the legendary Jonah Lomu in his country’s try-scoring list with 38 tries in 41 caps.

Anton Lienert-Brown became the second All Black to be sent to the bin as Italy piled on the pressure in the second half, but the visitors survived and a yellow for replacement Azzurri prop Simone Ferrari eventually opened the gates to a third New Zealand try when Tele’a dived over in the corner.

Menoncello’s superb sprint to the corner gave the home crowd something to celebrate late on, but the cheers didn’t last for long before Barrett capitalised on an ill-judged chip from Ange Capuozzo to add a try of his own at the death.

This Autumn Nations Series should provide plenty of encouragement for New Zealand’s future under coach Scott Robertson thanks to wins over Ireland, England and Italy.

But Saturday was also a chance to tip the hat to towering figures of the past as Cane and Perenara, veterans of the 2015 World Cup win in England, pulled on the famous black shirt for the final time.

Cane, who boasts more than a century of caps, started at openside flanker and was given a deserved standing ovation in Turin when he was replaced in the second half, while Perenara came off the bench to play a role in a strong finish from his side after setting the tone early on with a memorable final leading of the haka.

The fly-half’s kicking was on the money time and again both from hand and from the tee, while his late try left him with a personal haul of 14 points for the night.

Italy: Capuozzo 6, Trulla 6, Brex 6, Menoncello 8, Ioane 7, P. Garbisi 7, Page-Relo 7; Fischetti 7, Lucchesi 6, Riccioni 6, Ruzza 7, Lamb 6, Negri 7, Zuliani 6, Vintcent 7

Replacements: Nicotera 6, Spagnolo 6, Ferrari 5, N. Cannone 6, Izekor 6, A. Garbisi 6, Marin 6, Zanon 7

New Zealand: Jordan 8, Tele’a 7, Ioane 6, Lienert-Brown 6, Clarke 6, B. Barrett 9, Roigard 8; De Groot 7, Taylor 7, Lomax 7, S. Barrett 6, Tuipulotu 6, Sititi 7, Cane 7, Savea 7

Replacements: Aumua 7, Tu’ungafasi 7, Newell 7, Vaa’i 6, Lakai 6, Perenara 7, Havili 6, McKenzie 6

25’ TRY! ITALY 6-10 NEW ZEALAND (ROIGARD, CON. BARRETT)

A seventh try in 10 Tests for Roigard, who wriggles through a gap in the Italian defence from 10 metres out to dive under the posts! Superb sniping from the scrum-half and the All Blacks lead.

40’ TRY! ITALY 6-17 NEW ZEALAND (JORDAN, CON. BARRETT)

Jordan cuts a line through the Italian defence and suddenly the All Blacks are just metres from the line! It looks ominous, and it doesn’t take long for the full-back to get his hands on the ball again and dive over the line from close range to extend the visitors’ lead just before the break.

71’ TRY! ITALY 6-24 NEW ZEALAND (TELE’A, CON. BARRETT)

Tele’a dives over in the corner from a looping long Barrett pass and New Zealand finally have their third try after an intense period of pressure.

77’ TRY! ITALY 11-24 NEW ZEALAND (MENONCELLO)

Where did that come from?! Superb from Menoncello, who competes for a crossfield kick and then puts on the afterburners on the wing when an offload from the loose ball comes his way. The centre hares into the corner to get the home crowd on its feet!

80’ TRY! ITALY 11-29 NEW ZEALAND (BARRETT)

Oh dear. Just as the Turin crowd were buoyant, Beauden Barrett scoops up a loose ball from an ambitious Capuozzo chip kick on his own try line to cross the line for a fourth New Zealand score.

• New Zealand have now won all 17 of their meetings with Italy
• Will Jordan’s 38th Test try took him above Jonah Lomu in New Zealand’s all-time scoring charts into eighth place, nine short of record holder Doug Howlett on 49