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.
The players return
Referee Mike Adamson has a chat with Sebastian Negri as the teams and officials make their way back out onto the Stade de France pitch. Negri was another Italian to produce a strong first half. The rain doesn’t seem to be coming down quite as strongly as Romain Ntamack prepares to get things back underway.
H/T: France 18-10 Italy
The conditions are grim in Paris. France have options to diversify their attack - neither Romain Ntamack nor Gael Fickou have made a carry yet and they have handled the ball well despite the greasy ball and damp surface.
As for Italy, the question now is how to work their way into the game more consistently in attack. Marco Zanon has carried superbly and there have been spaces out the back of the inside centre on second and third phase, but with limited opportunities they may have to take just about every one to pull off the unlikeliest of shocks. They are far from out of it, though, proving a fair few prognosticators wrong.
H/T: France 18-10 Italy
A positive half in so many ways for Italy and yet the visitors trail by eight at the interval. Kieran Crowley’s side were very, very good defensively for the first half-an-hour, and afforded a chance in the French 22 took it in fine style through Tommaso Menoncello’s elegant finish in the corner from Paolo Garbisi’s crossfield kick.
But then came the error, as so often seems to be the case when Italy have the chance to seize an opportunity. Stephen Varney will rue not being slightly more aware of Anthony Jelonch’s location as he flicked a pass towards Monty Ioane, but it was a crucial score from the French flanker.
France grew from there, and their second try was a thing of understated beauty, both Romain Ntamack and Damian Penaud releases passes just before contact to afford Gabin Villiere an open run in down the left. It feels like the home side are just beginning to click back into gear after that disrupted build-up.
TRY! FRANCE 18-10 Italy (Gabin Villiere try, 41 minutes)
And Gabin Villiere rides the slip n’ slide into the left corner!
Italy are pinged for an aerial infringement at the lineout, encouraging France to abandon their mauling plans and try their luck through the hands. Despite a greasy ball, the handling is impeccable as Italy rush up to close the space, with Damian Penaud’s quick transfer to Melvyn Jaminet key.
Jaminet puts the ball in the hands of the ex-sevens flyer, and Villiere goes underground to beat the covering Italians to the line. Jaminet adds the conversion, and that will make France feel a whole lot better as they trot down the tunnel.
France 11-10 Italy, 39 minutes
Italy just about survive another scrum examination but do less well when the ball is shifted to Marco Zanon in midfield. The supporting player goes off their feet on arrival - France penalty in front of the posts...
Which is poked into the right corner!
France 11-10 Italy, 38 minutes
Dupont has another exploration around the fringes and this time France are on the same page. To the right the scrum-half now goes but that is a rapidly closing blindside - Jonathan Danty is a centre of significant bulk but even he won’t be able to remain in the field of play against three Italian tacklers.
France 11-10 Italy, 37 minutes
Antoine Dupont pops his head up like a gopher from its hole as he assesses where best to go when he removes the ball from a maul that is making little progress. He skips to the right to the openside, and dribbles a little grubber in behind the Italian defence, but his midfield didn’t receive sufficient notice of their captain’s intentions - Italy’s Stephen Varney covers across and dots down.
France 11-10 Italy, 36 minutes
Some joue, joue from France, flinging the ball with reckless abandon granted them by referee Mike Adamson’s call of advantage. Damian Penaud loves a dart inside against a drifting line, and Italy do well to cling on to the angular wing.
They’ll take the advantage. Another entry into the Italian 22 - can France convert this one into a score?
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