Craig Gower says June’s loss to New Zealand has given the Italians a belief they can compete with the All Blacks.

The two teams square off again in Milan this weekend.

Gower, a former National Rugby League star, is one of 13 players who started in the 27-6 defeat in Christchurch who will run out in front of an 80,000-strong crowd at San Siro on Saturday.

The result at AMI Stadium was the Azzurri’s best against New Zealand in nearly two decades and while Gower stopped short of predicting one of world rugby’s greatest upsets, he was confident they would at least be able to match that effort of six months ago.

“Every time you take the field there’s an opportunity,” said the former Penrith Panthers star.

“It’s just how we approach the game. If we play to our plan and if everyone plays out of their skins, you never know what can happen.

“But you’re not going to go out and predict we’re going to win. We go in knowing what we have to do and hopefully we can do that.”

The size of the expected San Siro crowd is by far the biggest the Italians will have played in front of at home and Gower conceded it could be the home side, rather than the New Zealanders, who feel the pressure of the occasion the most.

“They get 30,000 down in Rome but this takes it to a new level,” he told stuff.co.nz.

“It’s going to be a new experience for some of the guys. But they’ve just got to take it in and make sure they don’t get over-awed.

“We’re a passionate sort of a team and having 80,000 of your countrymen there … I know the guys are looking forward to it.”

New Zealand have made 12 changes to the team that defeated Wales a week ago, handing debuts to fly-half Mike Delany, centre Tamati Ellison and wing Ben Smith.

Cory Jane has been shifted from the wing to full-back and the only other players who remain from the Millennium Stadium clash are props Wyatt Crockett and Neemia Tialata.

Number eight Rodney So’oialo will captain the side for the fifth time with regular skipper Richie McCaw starting on a bench that boasts a total of 284 caps.(source)