Two of Canterbury’s new All Blacks, Isaac Ross and George Whitelock, scored tries on their home ground of AMI Stadium in the Test match against Italy on Saturday night.

Lock Ross capped off a fine game for the All Blacks in his third Test with a second-half try and his run helped set up a try to openside flanker Whitelock, who celebrated his first Test cap when coming on as a replacement for Tanerau Latimer.

Props Wyatt Crockett and Owen Franks also celebrated their first Test caps in the 27-6 victory over the plucky Italians in front of a crowd of nearly 19,000.

Franks came on in the second half as a replacement for John Afoa.

He and Whitelock were buzzing afterwards. Whitelock said: “It was an exciting night for me and to score a try as well capped it off.”

Neither Whitelock nor Franks were particularly fazed by the occasion, with the flanker finding himself near the front of the All Blacks Haka. He said:  “I don’t really know how that happened!”

Franks, who was happy to just make the Junior All Blacks this season said of his call-up to the All Blacks and first cap: “Having all this happen has been amazing.”

The other Red and Blacks involved in the Christchurch Test were No8 Kieran Read and lock Brad Thorn.