FULL-TIME, NEW ZEALAND 96-17 ITALY; Italy have been flattened by a clinical and ruthless New Zealand… and it's a result that will cause shockwaves through the nations hoping to win this World Cup. It was a total rout by New Zealand, with some incredible running rugby and magnificent passing… but a word about Italy. Their tackling was lacking especially in the first half, but they fought hard and kept tackling and attacking with great fervour… but it was all the All Blacks tonight. What a night of rugby… and what does this mean for the rest of the World Cup?! Thanks for sharing the action with us, and enjoy the rest of your World Cup weekend!

CONVERSION, ITALY, GARBISI! 96-17; And that's the end of a frenetic 80 minutes of World Cup rugby.

TRY, ITALY, IOANE! 96-15; The TMO says no… what a great end to this match!

Italy storm back at New Zealand, passing down the line beautifully… there's a kick forward into space and Ioane dives over in the corner for the try… but the TMO is checking to make sure his foot didn't slide into touch…

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MCKENZIE! 96-10

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, LIENERT-BROWN! 94-10; Italy are being demolished. And the All Blacks are far from finished.

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MCKENZIE! 89-10

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, COLES! 87-10.

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MCKENZIE! 82-10

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MCKENZIE! 75-10

TRY NEW ZEALAND, JORDAN! 80-10.

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, MCKENZIE! 73-10; New Zealand drive through the Italian defence, McKenzie tumbling over to claim the try.

… but Italy are blown up and New Zealand have a penalty in front of poles, but they're taking the scrum…

Scrum on the Italian 22, Italy to feed the ball…

New Zealand storm forward again, Italy defending desperately.

The conversion is pulled just to the side by Mo'unga from the corner.

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, COLES! 68-10; New Zealand run the blindside, draw a man and Coles gets the ball and runs through to score in the corner.

… but the scrum collapses and New Zealand have a penalty to clear the danger.

Italy have a scrum on the 10m line…

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MO'UNGA! 63-10; No problem from just to the right of the poles.

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, PAPALII! 61-10; New Zealand all over Italy inside the 22, Papalii gets the ball and dives over next to the posts. There surely can't be any wind left in the Italian sails now.

TMO says no, and Italy have a penalty to clear.

WILD SCENES! New Zealand with pressure all over Italy, there's a chip into the in-goal area but an Italian claims the ball, starts running clear but it tackled and drops the ball, New Zealand pick it up and drive to the line but it looks like it's been held up just short.

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MO'UNGA! 56-10; Mo'unga slots his kick from the left about 15m in from touch.

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, RETALLICK! 54-10; Cruel rebound for Italy, as New Zealand charged down a clearance kick inside the Italy 22, and New Zealand push through for an immediate response to knock the wind out of Italy's sails.

CONVERSION, ITALY, ALLAN! 49-10; Superb conversion from right in the corner. WHAT a start from Italy.

TRY, ITALY, CAPUOZZO! 49-8; Lovely claim in the line and Italy spread the ball superbly, driving it up and past the New Zealand defence… and the ball goes out to Capuozzo and he dives over in the corner under pressure for beautiful try!

And another great kick into the corner… Italy need to claim the throw on the 5m… and they do but New Zealand drive them back a few metres…

Great lineout from New Zealand to steal the ball and they drive play back… but Italy are storming forward again past the New Zealand 10m… and they have another penalty.

New Zealand win a penalty, kick, Italy drive back and win another penalty on the New Zealand 22 and the kick screws into touch on the 5m… great attacking opportunity…

Italy get the ball back and are driving hard again, just into the 22… the play breaks down and the ref calls them back for a penalty on New Zealand 10m line. This is not like the first half… but there's still a 46-point gap so perhaps New Zealand are still winding themselves up.

Italy have come out full of heart and are running at New Zealand, first left then right and they're pushed into touch on the New Zealand 22. Great start from Italy.

KICK-OFF! We're underway with the second half… 40 brutal minutes wait Italy!

HALF-TIME: NEW ZEALAND 49-3 ITALY: It's all New Zealand here and it's all happening for them. Nothing going right for the Azzuri and their staff will have work to do at the break. New Zealand have dominated possession and territory from the sixth minute onward and have not looked back since. Please join us after the break for another cracking 40 minutes of World Cup rugby!

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, SAVEA! 49-3: Four penalties in a row to the AB's and eventually the pressure tells on Italy and Savea is OVER AGAIN! Mo'unga converts.

RELIEF for Italy after they earn a penalty three metres from their line and under HUGE PRESSURE!

Italy feed a scrum inside their 22 and this time a little victory as they secure the free-kick. Unfortunately they do not find touch. Barrett on the other hand finds touch.

Italy need to brush up on their defence and discipline! They will get a talking to during the break, that's for sure!

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MO'UNGA! 42-3: Richie Mo'unga converts!

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, SMITH! 40-3: Rinse and repeat at the scrum! This time a free-kick to the AB's. They want another scrum. They go left to Telea and this time Italy do better in defence to turn it over. They give it back and that is that. Jordan into a gap sends Smith away for his HAT-TRICK!

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MO'UNGA! 35-3: Richie Mo'unga is on FIRE!

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, SMITH! 33-3: Yet another scrum and yet another scrum penalty to the Kiwi's! Barrett sends it into touch and Retallick takes it nicely. Aaron Smith with quick hands and into a gap. No chance for Italy! Codie Taylor did well in support!

Italy MUST REGROUP or they are on a hiding second to nothing! They then mess up a line-out with a skew throw!

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MO'UNGA! 28-3: Richie Mo'unga converts!

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, SAVEA! 26-3: Cody Taylor with a penalty at the breakdown and Barrett finds touch in the corner. Poor tackling from Italy as Savea runs around the corner and SCORES. TOO EASY!

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, TELEA! 21-3: Savea into a gap and makes good ground. Italy do not recover and Telea uses his power to force it OVER IN THE CORNER. Mo'unga converts again!

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MO'UNGA! 14-3: Two more from Richie Mo'unga!

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, SMITH! 12-3: Barrett finds touch and the All Blacks drive after securing the line-out! A superb set-piece and Aaron Smith is OVER!

Italy make their way to the halfway line but Jordie Barrett is all over him to clean it out. Penalty All Blacks! Retallick clears the set-piece and the All Blacks have an offside penalty right in front.

A good kick behind the scrum from Stephen Varney to set up a line-out five metres from the All Blacks line. The All Blacks call it short and Barrett clears.

Beauden Barrett overcooks the restart!

PENALTY, ITALY, ALLAN! 7-3: Italy with a penalty at the breakdown after some subtle offloads. Allan goes for goal and SCORES!I

CONVERSION, NEW ZEALAND, MO'UNGA! 7-0: Two more from Richie Mo'unga!

TRY, NEW ZEALAND, JORDAN! 5-0: After a few resets at the scrum Aaron Smith come away with it and they go to the right. Nine phases later before a kick-pass finds Will Jordan on the right and he dives OVER IN THE CORNER!

What a start! The All Blacks take it to the other end where Italy feed a line-out inside their 22. They clear the line-out but then mess it up with a forward pass. PRESSURE!

There is a buzz around the ground..Great running from Italy, as they build through the phases and make their way to the 22 before the All Blacks turn it OVER!

Kick-off! We are underway here in Lyon!

Our referee is Matthew Carley from England. He will be assisted by his compatriot Christophe Ridley and Australian Nic Berry. The TMO Brett Cronan also hails from Down under.

When these teams last met in November 2021 the All Blacks were 47-9 victors in Rome.

Sam Whitelock will run out for his 149th New Zealand appearance thereby supassing Richie McCaw to become the most capped All Black in Test history.

Italy have a very poor record against the All Blacks. The men from The Land With The long White Cloud have won all 15 Tests against the Azzurri.

Italy: 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

The All Blacks camp had a lot to say before the start of the tournament as to what impact half-back pairing Richie Mo’unga and Aaron Smith would have at the event. Thus far they have been quiet against decent opposition and this evening may just provide the arena for them to shine.

New Zealand: 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 will face France next Friday and a god result this evening may pave the way to the next round for gli Azzurri.

It's a do or die clash for the Antipodeans, who went down to the host nation France in their opening game.

In their previous game the All Blacks thrashed Namibia 71-3, while the Italians beat Uruguay 38-17.

Italy are second in Pool A behind leaders France, while the All Blacks are in a very unfamiliar thrird position.

Good evening and welcome to Parc OL for our coverage of this Rugby World Cup Pool A clash between New Zealand and Italy.