New Zealand's future comes down to Italy square off

The top rugby nations don’t fear the All Blacks as they once did because Ian Foster’s men cannot find the consistency of belief and purpose that seems to be second nature to Ireland

EASY DOES IT: New Zealand's Damian McKenzie scores his side's third try of the game against Namibia at the Stade de Toulouse. Pic: PA

The All Blacks have broken so much new ground over the past couple of years in losing a test series to Ireland at home, among other low points for the game here, that it is dangerous to assume they will breeze past Italy to make the quarter-finals of this World Cup.

They have already made history in France by losing their first ever pool match – the 27-13 reverse in Paris a fortnight ago - which featured more evidence that there is a mental fragility to this side which wasn’t present even four years ago when they crashed out of the World Cup in Tokyo in the semi-final at the hands of England. Attempting to win three tournaments in a row in 2019, they at least fired significant shots against the Springboks (which put New Zealand on the tougher side of the draw), and Ireland, whom they thrashed in the quarter-final.