Three-time Rugby World Cup winners New Zealand are looking to get their first victory at the 2023 tournament as they square off with Italy at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon.

Italy have never beaten the All Blacks but will enter the match boosted by victories over Wales and Australia in recent years. Buoyed by arguably their most talented squad since the early 2000s, the Azzurri will know this is their best chance at qualifying for a quarterfinal.

The All Blacks on the other hand, understand that there is no wiggle room remaining, having lost their opening fixture to France. Prior to that opening round fixture, Ian Foster's team were on the receiving end of a record 35 - 7 loss at Twickenham Stadium.

Despite this run of results, it is unimaginable that a team of such quality would lose three in a row, especially to a team they routinely defeat by a large margin.

Thus, the stage is set for what should prove to be an intriguing fixture with far-reaching ramifications for both sides.

Min 80: TRY! Italy get their second and crucially denied the All Blacks from getting to the 100-point mark. Monte Ioane, this time as replacement Paolo Odogwu, injects some live into the Italian attack. NZL 96 - ITA 17.

Min 76: Italy shows some endeavour with a lovely break down the left-hand touchline, only to be turned over once again and the All Blacks clear for touch.

Min 75: TRY! Anton Lienart-Brown this time as the All Blacks are now surely set to crack the century mark in a dark day for Italian Rugby. McKenzie converts NZL 96 - ITA 10.

Min 72: TRY! The All Blacks are at it again! Coles gets a double, all too easy. New Zealand are within touching distance of a century. NZL 89 - ITA 10.

Min 67: TRY! Number twelve, Italy simply cannot get out of their own way. One hundred points is a very real possibility as Jordan gets his second. Really, Italy did not deal with what should have been a routine chip-and-chase cover. McKenzie converts, and the score is NZL 82 - 10.

Min 65: TRY! Electric substitute Damian McKenzie gets the All Blacks' 11th try of the evening as he dazzles way over in the right corner. Converting his own try, McKenzie brings the Score to NZL 75 - ITA 10.

Min 60: TRY! Dane Coles races away for the All Blacks' tenth try of the evening from a clever line-out move. Mo'unga has his first miss of the evening. NZL 68 - ITA 10.

Min 57: Squad captain Sam Cane makes his first appearance the the tournament from the bench. 

Min 55: TRY! A wobbly line-out overthrow is bounced on by Mark Telea, who bursts through the heart of the Italian defence before offloading to Dalton Papali'i. Mo'unga converts to make the score NZL 63 - ITA 10.

Min 52: The All Blacks scrum shunts the Italians backwards at a rate of knots! Following a few quick phases, New Zealand are on the Italian line. Beauden Barrett goes for the crossfield kick but finds Capuozzo, who launches a solo attack only to knock on. From here, the All Blacks regather, and Cam Roigard rolls over for a try. A quick check by the TMO rules out the try, and Italy clear their lines.

Min 50: TRY! Just like that, the All Blacks strike back! Retallick this time, and that was all too easy as the Italians coughed up the ball a couple of meters from their line. Mo'unga adds the conversion. NZL 56 - ITA 10

Min 49: Sam Whitelock comes on to break the New Zealand cap record previously held by Richie McCaw.

Min 48: TRY! The stadium erupts! Italy win a line-out and stretched the New Zealand defence! Ange Capuozzo flies over the line for Italy's first try! A small scuffle breaks out! Allan adds the two; Italy are into double figures! NZL 49 - ITA 10.

Min 47: Italy earn yet another penalty and once again find a brilliant touch. Can they win their own ball?

Min 45: Another line stolen! Italy really aren't helping themselves here.

Min 44: Here we go again! Another Italian penalty kicked to the corner, and that was a doozy as it brought play up to the Kiwi 5m line. 

Min 43: That is what experience does for you; Brodie Retallick steals the Italian line-out as the All Blacks clear their lines.

Min 42: Italy have started brightly here in the second half, putting some good phases together and holding onto possession. They have earned a penalty inside the Kiwi half and go for the corner. 

Min 40: Beauden Barrett gets us underway with a deep restart, with Italy winning a quick penalty to clear their lines. Can the Azzuri salvage anything from this evening?

Half Time Report

A wounded All Black is a dangerous All Black, as the old adage goes. This is certainly the case this evening in Lyon as the All Blacks secured a four-try bonus point within twenty-two minutes.

Now leading --- at half time, the All Blacks got on the board early as they stretched the Italians from touchline to touchline.

Try-scoring ace Will Jordan would once again be the benefactor as he leapt over the Italian cover defence to touch down in the 6th minute.

Italy would respond with a well-taken penalty by fullback Tommaso Allan, who cooly slotted a 40-meter penalty.

Italian joy would be short-lived, however, as the All Blacks hit the jets to score four tries in ten minutes.

Setting a powerful maul five meters out from the Italian line, the All Blacks pack got rumbling and were joined by several backs. One moving, the Italians simply couldn't put a dent in the maul as scrumhalf Aaron Smith crossed the line for the first of his three tries.

Perhaps the pick of the All Blacks try was started by captain Ardie Savea, who ran straight through the Italian defence from the kick-off. Finally dragged down just outside the Italian 22m line, Savea offloaded to Beauden Barrett, who flung a 15m pass which Mark Telea gratefully received.

Having started Italian's previous score, Savea got a try of his own from yet another All Black line-out. Going over relatively unchallenged, the number eight was ecstatic in his celebration.

Securing the bonus point, Smith got his second in the 28th minute, which was followed by his hattrick score four minutes later.

Things would quiet down somewhat for the next ten minutes, yet there remained an air of inevitability that the Kiwis weren't finished.

So it would prove in the 44th minute as the All Blacks finally crossed following several goal-line attacks. Once again, it would be the captain as Savea broke from a maul to secure a relatively easy try.

Ruthless 🇳🇿#RWC2023 | #NZLvITA pic.twitter.com/ZLTKEt3eTB

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 29, 2023

Min 44: TRY! That was inevitable as Savea gets his second. Things are firmly out of hand here in Lyon as the All Blacks are in one of those moods. Mo'unga adds his seventh conversion as the Kiwis go to the changing room. NZL 49 - ITA 3. 

Min 43: Yet another New Zealand penalty; once again they go to the corner.

Min 40: Time as expired, but the All Blacks are awarded a penalty, and there is an air of inevitability as Mo'unga goes to the corner to set-up another short-range line-out.

Min 38: Under pressure once again, the Italians earn some respite with a much-needed penalty as the All Blacks launch yet another ominous attack. All that is left for the Azzuri now is pride.

Min 34: TRY! Aaron Smith has a hat trick! That is all too easy for the All Blacks as the Italian defence parts like the Red Sea. Mo'unga adds the extra two as the All Blacks continue to score more than a point a minute.

Min 32: The All Blacks are awarded a free kick just outside the Italian 22m line and opt for a scrum.

Min 26: TRY! Aaron Smith gets his second try as the All Blacks maul gets rumbling. Smith takes the ball, puts on some footwork, and gets over. The All Blacks are certainly in the zone this evening. Mo'unga adds the two NZL 35 - ITA 3.

Min 22: TRY! New Zealand again; this time, it is Savea who gets over. All too easy here for the Kiwis, as Italy are pitching a total no-show in the face of an up-tempo All-Black attack. Mo'unga adds the conversion NZL 28 - ITA 3.

Min 18: TRY! From the kick-off! Ardie Savea rips through the Italian defence before finding Beauden Barrett, who spins out of a tackle and finds Mark Telea with a beautiful pass. Mo'unga adds the extras NZL 21 - ITA 3.

Min 15: TRY! A well-set maul for the All Blacks sees backline players piling in. That was a quick-fire strike from the Kiwis as Aaron Smith got over the line. Mo'unga adds the extras. NZL 14 - ITA 3.

Min 12: Cool, calm and controlled from the Italians as they pin the All Blacks onto their five-meter line. 

Min 10: Uncharacteristic from the All Blacks there as the kick-off goes out on the full, scrum to Italy on the halfway line.

Min 9: PENALTY - Tommy Allan slots it - NZL 7 - ITA 3.

Min 8: Italy build some pressure in the middle of the park, the All Blacks concede a penalty, and Tommaso Allan points to the posts immediately. 

Min 6: TRY! The All Blacks stretch the Italian defence from right to left before going back to the right-hand touchline with Will Jordan. As he has done in seemingly every test to date, he glides over. Richie Mo'unga converts. NZL 7 - ITA 0.

What a finish! 👏#RWC2023 | #NZLvITA pic.twitter.com/K4WSA27omY

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 29, 2023

Min 3: We have the first scrum of the match as the Italians knock on eight meters from their line. Rerefee Matthew Carly resets

Min 2:

The anthems and Haka are complete.

It’s game time!#RugbyWorldCup #NZLvITA pic.twitter.com/4XhJUTzw6V

— FloRugby (@FloRugby) September 29, 2023

Min 0: Paolo Garbisi gets us underway as Italy won the toss and elected to kick-off. Cheers of Italia, Italia, Italia rain down in Lyon.

Min 0: The anthems and Haka are complete - it's game time...

Anyone else get the feeling that Ardie Savea is a rather popular fellow?#RugbyWorldCup #NZLvITA pic.twitter.com/OuZYeZBoDt

— Philip Bendon (@PBendon) September 29, 2023

Few anthems hit quite like Il Canto degli Italiani.#RugbyWorldCup #NZLvITA pic.twitter.com/jpVIjF6Z2H

— Philip Bendon (@PBendon) September 29, 2023

Starting Line-Ups

New Zealand starting lineup: 15. Beauden Barrett, 14. Will Jordan, 13. Rieko Ioane, 12. Jordie Barrett, 11. Mark Tele'a, 10. Richie Mo'unga, 9. Aaron Smith, 8. Ardie Savea, 7. Dalton Papali'i, 6. Shannon Frizell, 5. Scott Barrett, 4. Brodie Retallick, 3. Nepo Laulala, 2. Codie Taylor, 1. Ofa Tu'ungafasi

Replacements: 16. Dane Coles, 17. Tamaiti Williams, 18. Tyrel Lomax, 19. Samuel Whitelock, 20. Sam Cane, 21. Cam Roigard, 22. Damian McKenzie, 23. Anton Lienert-Brown

Italy starting lineup: 15. Tommaso Allan, 14. Ange Capuozzo, 13. Juan Ignacio Brex, 12. Luca Morisi, 11. Monty Ioane, 10. Paolo Garbisi, 9. Stephen Varney, 8. Lorenzo Cannone, 7. Michele Lamaro (c), 6. Sebastian Negri, 5. Federico Ruzza, 4. Dino Lamb, 3. Marco Riccioni, 2. Giacomo Nicotera, 1. Danilo Fischetti

Replacements: 16. Hame Faiva, 17. Ivan Nemer, 18. Simone Ferrari, 19. Niccolo Cannone, 20. Manuel Zuliani, 21. Toa Halafihi, 22. Martin Page-Relo, 23. Paolo Odogwu