France vs Italy LIVE: Six Nations rugby result and reaction from Stade de France
Follow latest reaction from Stade de France after Les Blues opened their campaign with a win on Sunday afternoon
France began their bid for a first Six Nations title since 2010 with a 37-10 bonus-point win over Italy at a rain-soaked Stade de France on Sunday, as winger Gabin Villiere ran in a hat-trick.
The Azzurri, looking for a first Championship win since 2015 and their first ever victory in Paris, took a surprise lead when teenage debutant Tommaso Menoncello gathered a kick to finish in the corner.
France struck back with Anthony Jelonch and Villiere tries to take an eight-point lead into halftime.
Villiere weaved a path through the Italian defence to cross again after the break before Damian Penaud added the bonus-point score, and Villiere dived over for his third with the clock in the red.
France are level with Ireland on five points at the top of the table after the opening round, ahead of their meeting in Paris next Saturday.
Italy face England in Rome on Sunday, where both sides will be looking to respond to opening-day defeats after the English lost their opener in Scotland.
France 23-10 Italy, 51 minutes
Our first changes of the afternoon as Italy send for a new front row. Hame Faiva, Ivan Nemer and Giosue Zilocchi come on, and France make a front-row change, too. Demba Bamba remains a top tighthead prospect and replaces Uini Atonio, who perches himself on the bench.
TRY! FRANCE 23-10 Italy (Gabin Villiere try, 49 minutes)
France strike! Paolo Garbisi is chopped down by Cameron Woki and France pile in to drive over the top of the ruck and give Antoine Dupont turnover ball.
The deceptively strong nine swipes away a tackler and makes five yards with his snipe, with Gregory Alldritt stepping in as a far larger scrum-half at the next ruck. He similarly spots close-in space, bursting through a hole alongside the breakdown and releasing an offload to Gabin Villiere as he is felled.
There’s still plenty to do for the fleet-footed Toulon wing, but he does it with style, a sashay, a dummy-kick, and finally a step and sprint for the line past three would-be tacklers. Melvyn Jaminet can’t convert.
France 18-10 Italy, 47 minutes
“Ooh!” cries the crowd as Atonio makes a dent in attack on this occasion, but Italy have their men largely lined-up. Cameron Woki takes a tackler out as they try to get hands on a held-up Gregory Alldritt, and Mike Adamson spots the offence from the French lock.
Paolo Garbisi taps it quickly under the shadow of his own posts! A curious decision, and the Italian fly-half soon realises the peril and boots the ball long.
France 18-10 Italy, 45 minutes
My word! Sebastian Negri does not go backwards very often but Uini Atonio puts him on his back rather rudely with a massive right shoulder, and Antoine Dupont rushes out of the line to then catch Paolo Garbisi as he catches. Italy cling on and are penalised.
France kick the penalty down into the Italy 22.
France 18-10 Italy, 44 minutes
Can Italy use that repreive? Gael Fickou makes a half-break but France get isolated as they carry again, and Gianmarco Lucchesi pounces to force a holding-on penalty.
NO TRY! France 18-10 Italy, 42 minutes
No try! “Six is clearly bound on behind him, so he is not allowed to pick up the ball - he is not the last man,” Mike Adamson explains to Antoine Dupont as the scrum-half questions why Julien Marchand’s actions were illegal.
Penalty to Italy. A let-off - that looked a certain score from the minute Jonathan Danty hit a properly explosive unders line. Great work from Toa Halafihi to get a piece of the centre and prevent him scoring himself, and a vital intervention from Danilo Fischetti, too.
Try? France 18-10 Italy, 42 minutes
This is another tight decision. Marchand has got the ball to ground but is he part of the breakdown? Anthony Jelonch might be bound on behind him and the rear-most player, which would mean Marchand is unable to play the ball.
This is almost impossible to call. Is Jelonch bound when Marchand initially grabs the ball?
France 18-10 Italy, 43 minutes
Jonathan Danty! The French centre arrives like a runaway locomotive and busts through two tacklers, dragged back by the elastic of his shorts and sliding to within inches. Has his momentum got him htere? Not quite, but Julien Marchand on the follow-up might have?
France 18-10 Italy, 42 minutes
France pass the ball along the line and out to Gabin Villiere, who turns Edoardo Padovani with a chipped kick. Padovani waits for the direction of the bounce and reacts to its rightward hop well, but Stephen Varney is clattered as he clears and France will have a lineout 25 metres out on the right.
France 18-10 Italy, 41 minutes
Gael Fickou is told to leave the ball alone at a ruck after a teammate has already contested the breakdown, and listens to the referee’s warning, withdrawing his pilfering fingers.
Italy are nearly turned over by a firm counter-ruck but cling on, allowing Stephen Varney to box kick long.
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