After a scrappy first half the All Blacks held a 17-6 lead after tries to halfback Cam Roigard and fullback Will Jordan in Turin.
The subplot is thicker and more appealing. As much as it is Italy v Argentina, it will also be Gonzalo Quesada v Felipe Contepomi, former teammates, old neighbours in Las Lomas de San Isidro.
Italy and Argentina have both named sides with only two players with fewer than 10 caps for their encounter in Udine on Saturday.
In just a few days another season of the Top 14 kicks off with the likes of Owen Farrell, Siya Kolisi, Josua Tuisova, and Davit Niniashvili making the numbers of the overseas players ready to make the headlines and wrestle for the title.
The well-travelled full-back couldn't resist the opportunity to test himself at the highest level with Italy
Former Bath and England U20 fullback Matt Gallagher is in line to make his Italy debut this Friday against Samoa after being selected to start by head coach Gonzalo Quesada.
Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has announced a preliminary squad of 39 players for a training camp in L'Aquila from 19 to 22 June, in preparation for the 2024 summer tour.
RugbyPass sifts through the data and selects its best XV of the 2024 championship.
So long the whipping boys, in its 25th edition, Italy finally joined the Six Nations party and they will now hope to kick on and prosper