New Zealand vs Italy Prediction & Betting Tips - Nations Championship

Prediction published on 09/07/2026, 00:10  by Ita Emmanuel | Modified on 10/07/2026 at 05:04 in Nations Championship Predictions

This Round 2 of the inaugural Nations Championship tournament sees World No 2 New Zealand welcome Italy to Wellington Regional Stadium on Saturday. The All Blacks, sitting eight places above the Blues, have won all 11 of the previous meetings between the two sides, averaging a 58.2-point winning margin per contest, hence our prediction supporting a blowout win for the hosts.

New Zealand got off to a winning start to their Nations Championship campaign, holding on to see off France by just two points in an edgy opening Test. Will Jordan crossed twice in the All Blacks' 34–32 win over the European champions, leaving him just two tries shy of matching Doug Howlett's all-time New Zealand international try-scoring record.

Notably, that victory moved the team level on five points with South Africa in the Northern Conference and marked their sixth win in seven Tests dating back to the 2025 Rugby Championship. Dave Rennie's men will also look to build on their impressive home record, having now racked up eight wins in their last nine home Tests. 

Italy came out second-best against lower-ranked Japan in what passed as one of the shocking results in the competition's opening round in Tokyo. The Blues lost both halves, including 10 unanswered points in the second half, eventually falling to a 27–10 defeat. They have now suffered defeats in four of their last five Tests. Gli Azzurri's biggest challenge yet will be overturning their mostly heavy-margin losses in all 11 previous meetings with New Zealand.