Italy assistant coach Carlo Orlandi has told the Azzurri not to be overawed by the mystique of the All Blacks if they want to be competitive in their one-off Test in Christchurch on Saturday.

Orlandi, who played 42 Tests at hooker for Italy, felt lesser rugby nations were often beaten by New Zealand's illustrious history before they even took to the field.

"We want to play a match, not against the All Blacks, against New Zealand. There is a difference," he said.

He added: "New Zealand is a team, the All Blacks is the legend of the team. The history is very good, they are the best team in the world, but every match is different."

If previous results are anything to go by then the Azzurri have definitely been guilty of stargazing in their encounters against New Zealand. At the World Cup two years ago they were thrashed 76-14 in Marseille with the All Blacks playing near perfect rugby to race to a 38-0 lead after 20 minutes.

In the four Tests prior to that dating back to 2000 the results were little different with a 59-10 loss in Rome in 2004, a 70-7 thumping in Melbourne at the 2003 World Cup, a 64-10 hammering in Hamilton in 2002 and a 56-19 defeat in Genoa in 2000.

It is little wonder that coach Nick Mallett has been praying for rain to intervene at AMI Stadium this weekend to slow the speed and skill factor he believes New Zealand have over his charges.

Italy under Mallett, the former South Africa coach, have not fared well, losing their last 10 Tests - and they suffered a clean sweep in this year's Six Nations for the first time since 2005. But they have produced two competitive displays against Australia despite losing 31-8 in Canberra and 34-12 in Melbourne in the past two weeks.

Orlandi certainly believes his forwards should be able to hold their own in the set-piece against the All Blacks and New Zealand loose forward Jerome Kaino is expecting to face a similar challenge up front to that which the French provided in Dunedin and Wellington.

"The Italians have always been a forward-oriented team and they really pride themselves on their physicality, so nothing much changes from the French team," the blindside flanker said.