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.
Italy went ahead through Tommaso Menoncello’s aerial acrobatics
PENALTY! FRANCE 11-10 Italy (Melvyn Jaminet penalty, 34 minutes)
Jaminet doubles his Six Nations tally from the left. There’s a great boom as he strikes the ball - that’s a meaty right boot.
France 8-10 Italy, 33 minutes
Advantage is coming for France now as Antoine Dupont explores the left. Damian Penaud adds extra linking hands far from his right wing home but Tommaso Menoncello makes a good defensive read to take both Penaud and Gabin Villiere on the outside with a sliding tackle and avoid leaving Edoardo Padovani isolated.
Nothing comes of the French attack, so Melvyn Jaminet will have the tee brought on and seek three.
France 8-10 Italy, 32 minutes
Invention from France! After a reasonable maul drive, they throw the ball into midfield to the hard-carrying Jonathan Danty, who rushes up with intent before dropping a deft little dab in behind.
Italy just about scramble back to gather, and somehow survive to clear. France in possession and Paul Willemse drives back into the 22.
PENALTY! France 8-10 ITALY (Paolo Garbisi penalty, 30 minutes)
Aligned with the right upright, Garbisi sweeps it between the sticks. Italy nudge back ahead.
France 8-7 Italy, 29 minutes
Still, there are some lovely pictures being painted by Italy in attack. Marco Zanon has really caught the eye so far with his direct carrying and France are offside soon after, rushing up to try and prevent Ignacio Brex sliding into an inviting outside channel.
Paolo Garbisi will kick at goal.
TRY! FRANCE 8-7 Italy (Anthony Jelonch try, 26 minutes)
From nowhere! Italy shoot themselves in the foot!
Cameron Woki contests the lineout and forces an errant Italian tap-back, Stephen Varney scrambling back to gather. But the Italy scrum-half is unaware of his surroundings, most particularly Anthony Jelonch arriving at speed in the space between Varney and Monty Ioane. Varney’s blind flipped ball is gathered by Jelonch, who cannot believe his luck as he makes the short trip down the outside lane of an empty highway to put France back into the lead.
The conversion isn’t quite there, but what a shame for Italy to spoil an otherwise excellent start.
France 3-7 Italy, 24 minutes
The first bit of attacking inaccuracy from Italy, losing track of their runners in midfield and a distributor leaving a pass betwixt and between. France hack the ball deep into Italian territory and a strong chase forces a scrambled clearance to about 25 metres out. Can France make this chance in the Italian half count?
Cyril Baille’s famous open-field footwork take him past one tackler as he tries to make a telling carry. Prop partner Uini Atonio is up next - the behemoth tighthead has to stoop to take the pass, though, and any head of steam he had built up on the rumble is nullified, and Italy force him to hold on. Penalty Italy.
France 3-7 Italy, 22 minutes
Ooph! That’s delicious. A driven Melvyn Jaminet kick spirals like a missile through the Paris air and thumps into the surface, skipping across and into the Italian 22. The 50:22 law, introduced at the start of the year, means that will be a French throw at the lineout as it canters out of play.
Or not! TMO Brett Conan has spotted a push off the ball from Gabin Villiere as he chased after the previous French kick so Italy will have a penalty. A shame that a bit of supreme skill from Jaminet goes unrewarded.
France 3-7 Italy, 21 minutes
Italy enter at the side of the maul formed at the next lineout, though, and the home crowd give a hearty cheer as Melvyn Jaminet kicks France into the Italian 22.
Cameron Woki can’t quite gather the lineout, and France’s messy attack continues as the ball then squirms free from the next carrier. Monty Ioane makes ten metres with an all-action weave down the right.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments