All Blacks made to toil

New Zealand rounded off their preparations for the Tri-Nations series with a laboured 27-6 triumph over Italy on Saturday.

Joe Rokocoko (23) scored his first Test try in almost two years, while maiden scores from Isaac Ross (54) and George Whitelock (66) helped the home side run out comfortable winners.

Fly-half Luke McAlister converted all three touchdowns and added two penalties for the All Blacks, while Italy full-back Luke McLean scored his side's points with two penalties.

It was the lowest score the All Blacks have posted against Italy and only the second time they have failed to score 50 points in their 10 encounters.

Containment

The hsosts spent the majority of the match attempting to play all of the rugby, but handling errors, running across field rather than going forward and poor kicking allowed the Italians to keep them pinned inside their own territory.

McAlister opened the scoring with a ninth-minute penalty before Rokocoko scored his first try for New Zealand since he notched a hat-trick against Romania during the 2007 World Cup.

The All Blacks had finally gained some momentum with a raking McAlister kick that drove his side deep into Italian territory.

Ross then stole the Italian lineout and, with centre Gonazalo Garcia receiving treatment after a head clash, McAlister kicked across field, allowing Rokocoko space to catch the ball and go over after beating two tacklers.

McAlister added the conversion and a second penalty before Italian full-back McLean got his side on the board, though he missed two other penalty shots in the first half.

Sweeping move

Ross scored his first try when he finished a sweeping move in one of the few times in the match the All Blacks were able to go forward effectively.

The rangy lock also made two storming runs in another movement that Whitelock finished off when he received a pass from centre Ma'a Nonu.

But it was the Italians who were celebrating at the end after containing the All Blacks sufficiently to avoid a real mauling in Christchurch.

The performance means New Zealand have plenty of work to do to be ready to take on Australia in the Tri-Nations opener on July 18.