France v Italy LIVE: Six Nations 2024 result and reaction after visitors come agonisingly close to victory
The Azzurri are searching for their first victory of the tournament while Les Bleus hope to build on their win over Scotland
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Your support makes all the difference.Paolo Garbisi struck the post with a potential match-winning penalty as Italy narrowly missed out on a famous Six Nations victory over France in Lille.
With the scores level and the clock dead, Garbisi lined up a shot at goal from the left that would have given Gonzalo Quesada his first win as Italy boss.
But having been rushed into his attempt with the shot clock running down after the ball fell off his tee, Garbisi’s flighted effort curled against the right-hand post, rebounding away to ensure France held on for a 13-13 draw.
The hosts had been profligate in a first half they dominated but the game tilted after Jonathan Danty’s dismissal just before the interval.
The France centre was initially shown a yellow card for his head-on-head collision with Juan Ignacio Brex, but an upgrade to red on review in the TMO bunker gave Italy confidence that they could fight back to secure a significant win over the pre-tournament favourites.
Ange Capuozzo’s score in the corner and a fine Garbisi touchline conversion set up a shot at glory, but the fly half was denied by the woodwork as Italy came agonisingly close.
Relive all the Six Nations action below, plus get the latest odds and tips right here:
HT: France 10-3 Italy
More than 100 tackles in that half from Italy - but it is a French hit that might yet tilt the game. Could Jonathan Danty’s yellow be upgraded to red?
HT: France 10-3 Italy
It’s been one-way traffic, largely, in Lille, but a series of missed opportunities from the hosts leaves the sides separated by a single score. France will feel they should be much more than seven points in front, though some credit must go to Italy, whose last-ditch defence has been excellent.
PENALTY! France 10-3 ITALY (Martin Page-Relo penalty, 45 minutes)
Martin Page-Relo is on duty from the tee for Italy today, and that’s a handsome strike, curling inside the left-hand upright as Italy get on the board with the last action of the half.
YELLOW CARD! Jonathan Danty is sent to the sin bin! France 10-0 Italy, 43 minutes
It’s yellow at least, and on review. There’s head-on-head contact between Danty and Brex, though it seems most of the force may have been through the chest. How will the foul play review official view that? He’ll have eight minutes to assess whether the sanction should be upgraded.
France 10-0 Italy, 41 minutes
A mahoosive munching of Juan Ignacio Brex leaves the Italian centre inspecting the damage, Jonathan Danty the shooting French defender.
Brex is back on his feet and slicing into space soon enough, rangy in the open field and taken down on the fringes of the French 22. There might be some French foul play to look at, but onwards Italy go, a delightful pass out the back sending Federico Mori up the touchline. But Italy knock on, and that might be that.
Or is it? Danty’s tackle might have him in some bother...
France 10-0 Italy, 40 minutes
Two penalties against France give Italy a last chance to mount an attack before half-time, A long punt up beyond halfway - they’d love something to take down the tunnel.
France 10-0 Italy, 39 minutes
But France keep snatching at these chances. Their forwards carry them to within a metre, Paul Boudehent and Francois Cros going awfully close, but in their eagerness to spread the ball wide they keep running into bother. Gael Fickou is taken behind the gainline, but keeps the ball alive with a pop off the floor, though Thomas Ramos’s wide pass leaves Damian Penaud with no option but to slap the ball back into play, and Matthis Lebel knocks on.
Six visits to the Italian 22, one French try. Profligate.
France 10-0 Italy, 36 minutes
Posolo Tuilagi! A first glimpse of the man they call The Lorry on open motorway, and boy can he move! A lovely offload sends Charles Ollivon on, but Tuilagi’s attempts to bash over on the follow-up ends with him held up.
France have a penalty, though, which Thomas Ramos boots to touch. And that’s because Matthieu Jalibert is being helped off. Oh no! He can’t even bear any weight, and you fear that could be a serious one for the Bordeaux Begles pivot, who suffered a serious knee injury on France debut in 2018.
Moefana is introduced as France try to launch an offensive from five metres out.
France 10-0 Italy, 35 minutes
Yoram Moefana strips off in case he is needed, but it appears Jalibert will continue for now. Were he replaced, you’d imagine it would be Thomas Ramos to ten, Matthis Lebel to full-back and Moefana on to the wing - France will rather hope that their fly half can run it off.
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