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
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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 6-10 France, 22 minutes
Matthew Carley is hot on the whistle at ruck time, keen for that area not to descend into a mess, and Tommaso Allan somewhat surprisingly shuns an opportunity for a difficult shot of goal to go for the corner.
Seven metres out.
Italy 6-10 France, 23 minutes
Leonardo Ghiraldini finds his man at the front of the line out, Demba Bamba is in at the side to stop the maul and Italy have the advantage. Grubber through by Allan, against the post...
Oh no! Marco Zanon knocks on! The ball came back off the post at an awkward height and Zanon punches the padding in frustration. So, so close to a debut try.
Italy will go for another line out.
Italy 6-10 France, 24 minutes
The maul is a strong one, and it's motoring over the line, but the French do well, Camille Chat limping on the ball, Etienne Falgoux getting right underneath the carrier.
Held up over the line. Five-metre scrum, attacking feed.
Italy 6-10 France, 26 minutes
Twice the referee resets the scrum, Leonardo Ghiraldini's stint in the East Midlands enabling him to converse on the more technical points of scrummaging.
Sergio Parisse breaks from the base and pops inside to Jake Polledri. Another Italian charge, inches short.
To Parisse's hands again, drawing defenders...
Another knock-on! Parisse tried a similarly deft pass but Lucas Morisi didn't quite read it.
Hold on - Matthew Carley and the TMO want to make sure the previous carry didn't get there...
There doesn't seem to be anything conclusive on the first three angles. There are four or five bodies in the way.
Initially the carry is short, and the best angle to see the ball doesn't show the try line.
No clear evidence, rules TMO Graham Hughes, and thus the call will stay with the referee.
French scrum for the knock-on.
Italy 6-10 France, 27 minutes
Demba Bamba again gets into Andrea Lovotti, and draws the scrum penalty this time with another strong drive.
A 20-year-old tighthead already excelling at this level - freakish.
Italy 6-10 France, 29 minutes
France miss touch with the penalty but draw another on in a better position, and thus can go to the corner for their own driving maul.
Louis Picamoles spins out of it with a little momentum, but three Italians wait to engulf the number eight and drive him into touch.
From the resulting line out, Italy win a penalty and can clear.
Italy 6-10 France, 30 minutes
Sergio Parisse is hoisted high at the very back, a pinpoint throw from Leonardo Ghiraldini arcing over French hands into his captain's mitts.
Ghiraldini carries from the subsequent maul, and Tito Tebaldi plays for territory, pushing Maxime Medard back to his 22.
Italy 6-10 France, 31 minutes
Edoardo Padovani is a tall, physical runner from the wing and makes good ground on a diagonal towards the touchline, but Italy knock-on in the next phase, Tommaso Allan losing his grip on the ball as he considers his passing options.
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