Italy vs France rugby LIVE: Damian Penaud try seals underwhelming victory for Les Bleus against winless Italy
Re-live the action from the final day of the Six Nations championship
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Re-live the latest updates live from Six Nations Grand Slam Saturday as Italy suffered a record-stretching 22nd straight defeat against France.
Following two early penalties from Tommaso Allan, France hit back to take the lead through a converted try from Antoine Dupont, with Romain Ntamack adding a further three points before the break.
The visitors stretched their lead afterwards as wing Yoan Huget scored to give them breathing space, but Italy clawed their way back into the match when scrum-half Tito Tebaldi went over for a try. Italy then looked to have scored a second try when debutant Marco Zanon went over, but Damian Penaud wisely dislodged the ball out of his hands and followed up by scoring a well-executed try minutes later to seal the win. Re-live the live action below.
When is the match?
Italy vs France takes place on Saturday 16 March at the Stadio Olimpico.
What time does it start?
The match is scheduled to kick-off at 12:30pm GMT (1.30pm CET).
Where can I watch it?
Live coverage is on ITV from midday.
Teams
Italy: J Hayward (Benetton); E Padovani (Zebre), M Zanon (Benetton), L Morisi (Benetton), A Esposito (Benetton); T Allan (Benetton), T Tebaldi (Benetton); A Lovotti (Zebre), L Ghiraldini (Toulouse), T Pasquali (Benetton), D Sisi (Zebre), F Ruzza (Benetton), A Steyn (Benetton), J Polledri (Gloucester), S Parisse (Stade Francais, capt).
Replacements: L Bigi (Benetton), C Traore (Benetton), S Ferrari (Benetton), A Zanni (Benetton), S Negri (Benetton), G Palazzani (Zebre), I McKinley (Benetton), L Sperandio (Benetton).
France: M Medard (Toulouse); D Penaud (Clermont Auvergne), M Bastareaud (Toulon), W Fofana (Clermont Auvergne), Y Huget (Toulouse); R Ntamack (Toulouse), A Dupont (Toulouse); E Falgoux (Clermont Auvergne), G Guirado (Toulon, capt), D Bamba (Brive), F Lambey (Lyon), P Willemse (Montpellier), G Alldritt (La Rochelle), Y Camara (Montpellier), L Picamoles (Montpellier).
Replacements: C Chat (Racing 92), D Priso (La Rochelle), D Aldegheri (Toulouse), P Gabrillagues (Stade Francais), A Iturria (Clermont Auvergne), B Serin (Bordeax-Begles), C Lopez (Clermont Auvergne), T Ramos (Toulouse).
Referee: Matt Carley (England).
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales) and Andrew Brace (Ireland).
Italy 0-0 France, 1 minute
Tommaso Allan's initial clearance is high and only carries 35 metres from the Italy line, where France will set a line out, which is overthrown and gathered by Tito Tebaldi.
Damian Penaud collects Tebaldi's stab through and sets off on a meander.
Italy 0-0 France, 2 minutes
A loose Romain Ntamack grubber ends up, of course, in Sergio Parisse's hands, and the Italian captain involves himself again with a carry later in the movement.
Italy stab a kick into the right French corner, and Louic Picamoles does well to extradite himself from a tight spot.
Italy 0-0 France, 3 minutes
Rugby!
France go from deep, Romain Ntamack wide to Yoann Huget, offloaded to Mathieu Bastareaud, who finds Felix Lambey in support.
Good interplay from the French, though they'll go to the boot with space limited on the right.
Italy collect, and clear their lines into touch from within their 22.
Italy 0-0 France, 4 minutes
Another line out misfire for Guilhem Guirado, an Italian paw swatting the ball back on to their side and setting up a box kick on to Damian Penaud's head in French territory.
France have possession inside their own half.
Italy 0-0 France, 5 minutes
A loose pass to Louis Picamoles hops, skips and jumps off a combination of his feet and hands, Yacouba Camara recovering the bouncing ball but isolated as he is scragged.
Felix Lambey seals off at the resulting ruck, and Tommaso Allan will line up a shot at goal from the left...
PENALTY! Italy 3-0 France (Tommaso Allan, 6 minutes)
No mistake from the 22. Clean strike right down the middle. Italy lead.
Italy 3-0 France, 7 minutes
Tito Tebaldi sends another box kick skywards which Maxime Medard takes with little fuss.
France are struggling at ruck time, the ball squirting freee on a couple of occasions already, and then a slightly high Antoine Dupont pass is knocked on in amateur fashion by Yacouba Camara.
Italy will set the first scrum of the day three metres inside the French half centrally.
Italy 3-0 France, 8 minutes
France get the slightest of nudges but Sergio Parisse plays away before they can make gains against the scrums, but the execution from the set piece is poor, debutant Marco Zanon's first touch a disappointing one, Mathieu Bastareaud buffeting him into touch.
Italy 3-0 France, 9 minutes
Edoardo Padovani jinks his way through a pair of would-be tacklers, but Tito Tebaldi wastes a good position with a poor kick.
Yoann Huget launches his own weaving run and makes considerable headway, as does Damian Penaud like a hundred-metre runner arrowing down the right touchline.
Penaud's offload only finds Italian hands, however, and the lithe Clermont centre convert is down.
Italy 3-0 France, 10 minutes
Guilhem Guirado is also stricken, but a little bit of treatment for the French pair suffices and they'll rejoin proceedings.
Gregory Alldritt knocked on on the French ten-metre, and it's another central Italian scrum. Can they make more of a prime attacking opportunity?
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments