Ian Foster has stressed New Zealand’s history against Italy “means nothing” ahead of the crucial World Cup meeting between the sides on Saturday.
The All Blacks go into the Pool A contest in Lyon having never lost to the Italians – and very much needing to win, currently lying third in the group on five points, five behind the second-placed Azzurri.
Head coach Foster said of the head-to-head record in quotes on allblacks.com: “History means nothing. History is yesterday’s newspaper, isn’t it, not tomorrow’s.”
Defeat would leave the three-time world champions facing a pool-stage exit for the first time.
Counterpart Kieran Crowley, who won the 1987 World Cup as a New Zealand player, has said he expects Foster’s team to try to “bully” Italy.
Crowley told New Zealand’s 1 News: “We know what’s coming — they’re going to come pretty direct, pretty hard at us and try to intimidate us and bully us and that sort of thing. We’ve talked about that.
“We’ve got to play with courage and no fear. We’ve just got to back ourselves.”
Responding to the “bully” claim, Foster said: “That’s rugby, everyone is trying to do that. They’ll be trying to do that to us. It’s a physical game. It’s not a lack of respect from anyone.
“Both teams, there’s a lot at stake. This was always going to be a game we knew we had to get excited about and play well in.”
Foster, whose side were beaten 27-13 by hosts France in the tournament’s opening match, has made nine changes from the subsequent 71-3 victory over Namibia two weeks ago.
If Sam Whitelock comes off the bench he will overtake Richie McCaw as the most-capped All Black in Test history, moving to 149 caps. It would also see him equal the World Cup appearances record, joining McCaw and England’s Jason Leonard on 22.
Italy have so far beaten Namibia 52-8 and then come from behind to defeat Uruguay 38-17.
