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 3-7 Italy, 19 minutes
It’s been a great opening quarter from Italy. They just about smother the restart after it initially lands on open turf and are able to kcik away. Damian Penaud charges back onwards the chasing blue shirts but is tackled, and Antoine Dupont soon puts up another of those high box kicks.
This time Garbisi settles himself beneath it and calls the mark. He kicks out to about halfway.
TRY! France 3-7 ITALY (Tommaso Menoncello try, 17 minutes)
This is mighty, mighty tight. There’s a gnat’s hair in it as Menoncello’s studs come down within millimetres of the right touchline. Has he stayed infield? It’s almost impossible to call. The on-field decision is try...
Not in touch! Menoncello has grounded cleanly - this will count! Italy lead! A dream start to his international career for the 19-year-old wing and the visitors take a not underserved advantage, extended by Paolo Garbisi’s outstanding curving conversion.
France 3-0 Italy, 16 minutes
Knocked on by Melvyn Jaminet in the air and Italy are in behind! The loose ball is gathered and Italy have a perfect attacking platform five metres out...
Kicked across by Paolo Garbisi, has Tommaso Menoncello gathered that and grounded infield? We’ll need to have a look upstairs...
France 3-0 Italy, 15 minutes
“White, white, white, collapse,” is the call from the assistant, and Uini Atonio is duly penalised at scrum-time. It looked like Atonio got a little bit low on set-up and failed to hold his feet as he tried to drive through on the damp Stade de France surface. 31 tackles with just one miss from Italy so far - solid stuff.
France 3-0 Italy, 14 minutes
So strong in fact that France lose patience with the toiling and send something skywards. It lands inside the 22 but Paolo Garbisi does not call a mark, trying instead to sidestep Damian Penaud but clung on to by the long-limbed wing. Italy’s desperate attempts to clear the ruck sees them lose it forward on the floor. France scrum 30 metres out about ten metres in from the right touchline.
France 3-0 Italy, 13 minutes
Julien Marchand hits Gregory Alldritt at the front and France form a maul. Italy defend it nicely, and France make little progress. To midfield, and Jonathan Danty is biffed backwards after an initially shimmy. Strong start from this Italian defensive unit.
France 3-0 Italy, 12 minutes
And that was always coming. Another healthy shove from France, and Mike Adamson whistles the penalty their way. Tiziano Pasquali buckled by Cyril Baille.
France 3-0 Italy, 11 minutes
Halafihi is then employed from the base of a fake maul, shipping the ball on to the forthright Marco Zanon, who again wins his collision. A firm shunt from Sebastian Negri keeps the momentum going but a slightly untidy ruck squirts the ball free, and Stephen Varney fails to pick-up the mess. Knock-on, France scrum.
France 3-0 Italy, 10 minutes
Strong defence from Italy. Gregory Alldritt is isolated as he takes a short line from Antoine Dupont, and Toa Halafihi’s first prominent intervention on debut is to win a turnover penalty.
France 3-0 Italy, 9 minutes
France send the Italian eight into reverse but scrum-half Stephen Varney plucks the ball out and allows his side to clear.
Gabin Villiere produces a Matrix-esque dodge beneath a leaping Tommaso Menoncello as he claims the kick, and France immediately go back to the air. That’s very good from Edoardo Padovani - one of a limited number of Italians with real experience, and he shows all his nous by just waiting to time his leap appropriately and claim a potentially troublesome high bomb.
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