Will Jordan breaks All Blacks try record in 47-17 Italy win

50 tries in 56 Tests — that is the new All Blacks benchmark after Will Jordan scored a hat-trick in New Zealand's 47-17 Nations Championship victory over Italy in Wellington. The record-breaking finish gave the scoreboard a comfortable look, but New Zealand had to recover from a disjointed opening half before taking control after the break. Jordan moved one try clear of Doug Howlett as the All Blacks stayed unbeaten through two rounds.

The Bottom Line

• New Zealand defeated Italy 47-17 after leading only 14-10 at halftime.
• Jordan's hat-trick lifted him to 50 Test tries, passing Doug Howlett's previous All Blacks record.
• The All Blacks scored five tries and 33 points after halftime.
• Josh Moorby made his Test debut on his birthday and helped create several second-half tries.
• Italy finished much of the final quarter with 14 players after Niccolo Cannone's yellow card was upgraded to red.

Breaking It Down

Italy struck after only three minutes when Tommaso Menoncello scored from a New Zealand turnover. Sam Darry replied within five minutes, but the All Blacks struggled to establish the fast, attacking rhythm they had shown in their 34-32 opening-round win over France. Italy's flat defensive line disrupted New Zealand around the breakdown, while handling mistakes and problems at the set piece kept the contest tight.

Jordan shifted the match in the 30th minute. Jordie Barrett chipped behind the defence, Leroy Carter recovered the ball skilfully and Jordan finished the move to put New Zealand ahead for the first time. Even then, the home side reached halftime with only a 14-10 advantage, far from the dominance expected from a team that had never previously lost to Italy.

The second half changed almost immediately. Moorby, who had replaced the injured Carter in the 31st minute, broke down the left and combined with Cam Roigard for a try two minutes after the restart. He then intercepted a pass and nearly scored before Ethan de Groot crossed, helping New Zealand surge to a 33-10 lead within the first 11 minutes of the half.

Moorby later outran the cover defence to create Jordan's second try, which drew the winger level with Howlett. Jordan claimed the record outright in the 54th minute, reacting to Barrett's quick tapped penalty and completing his hat-trick. Tupou Vaa'i also scored as New Zealand finished with seven tries, while Leonardo Marin added Italy's second despite Cannone's dismissal.

Why This Matters

Jordan's record is striking because of the speed at which he reached it. Scoring 50 tries in 56 Tests reflects both his finishing ability and his instinct for appearing in space when New Zealand's attack begins to move. His first try came from a carefully constructed kick-and-recovery sequence, while the record-breaking score followed quick thinking from a penalty rather than a long period of pressure.

For Australian rugby followers, the result offers another measure of New Zealand's form under coach Dave Rennie. The All Blacks have opened the Nations Championship with wins over France and Italy, yet both matches exposed defensive, handling and discipline concerns. The final margin against Italy was emphatic, but the uneven first half showed that New Zealand can still be disrupted by aggressive pressure at the breakdown and set piece.

Italy also demonstrated why Rennie had warned against judging them solely on their opening 27-10 loss to Japan. Their early pressure, physical defence and ability to deny New Zealand clean possession kept the match competitive until the All Blacks increased the pace after halftime.

What Comes Next

New Zealand will face Ireland in Auckland next weekend to complete their July internationals. That match should provide a sharper test of whether the second-half fluency against Italy can be sustained against a side capable of punishing the handling, defensive and set-piece errors seen in Wellington.

The All Blacks are then scheduled to begin a four-Test tour of South Africa in August. Rennie has also said the team is considering delaying captain Ardie Savea's start in Africa after an extended period of continuous rugby.