Italy vs France LIVE rugby: Six Nations 2023 result and reaction as Italy narrowly miss out on famous win
Italy 24-29 France: Italy push the reigning grand slam champions all the way but Matthieu Jalibert’s try sees Les Bleus win
Ethan Dumortier scored a try on his France debut as the Les Bleus kick-started their Six Nations title defence with a hard-fought 29-24 bonus-point victory over a fiesty Italy at the Stadio Olimpico.
Thibault Flament, Thomas Ramos and Matthieu Jalibert also got on the scoresheet for the Grand Slam champions, while Ange Capuozzo dotted down for Italy and Tommaso Allan added four penalties.
The visitors were dealt a second-half scare when Charles Ollivon was sent to the sin bin and Italy were awarded a penalty try, at one point taking a second-half lead through Allan.
Les Bleus fended off the threat and will look to extend their winning streak to 15 when they travel to Ireland next weekend.
Relive all the action from Italy vs France below:
Can Italy match France’s tight five?
I’m also mightily intrigued by the battle in the tight, particularly at the set piece. France are perhaps slightly more vulnerable up front than at first appearance, having lost their lineout caller in Cameron Woki and with Cyril Baille a little short of form. Danilo Fischetti has largely been used off the bench by London Irish and will be tested by the sheer mass of the colossal Uini Atonio and Paul Willemse on the tighthead side of the French scrum, but if Fischetti can hold his own then Italy can set a stable platform from which to build.
Federico Ruzza will be key, too, a lock who does the bits both seen and unseen at a very high level. A win is probably beyond Italy, but a strong showing would go a long way towards building some momentum for the remainder of the tournament.
Capuozzo vs Ramos
The city motto in Toulouse is “for Toulouse, always more”, a mantra Ugo Mola and co seem to have taken to heart when it comes to full back recruitment. In Argentina’s Juan Cruz Mallia, Italy’s Ange Capuozzo and French pair Melvyn Jaminet and Thomas Ramos, Mola has four proven international options at his disposal at the Stade Ernest Wallon, including both starters this afternoon.
Having so enlivened his first year in international rugby, Capuozzo’s second act will be fascinating – you’d expect France to test a relatively inexperienced Italian back three with their kicking game but that may create counter-attacking opportunities for Capuozzo and co.
Ramos’ unpredictable attacking game might suit an open contest, too. With no Jonathan Danty to win the midfield gainline, France will have to play slightly differently, and one option could be to go wider earlier in phase play with Ramos providing an extra pair of distributing hands in the line. Yoram Moefana, Gael Fickou, Ethan Dumortier and Damian Penaud are all comfortable in the centres or on the wing – their interchangeability should present Italy’s defence varied questions.
Italy vs France
What pleasures might today bring? Hopes are high in Italy that they can build on the successes of last year, with Kieran Crowley talking really well at the championship launch about the way the win over Wales particularly changed the conversation about Italian rugby within the country and beyond.
Scotland continue outstanding Calcutta Cup run
And Steve Borthwick’s England tenure didn’t get off to the finest of starts, either, with Scotland winners of the Calcutta Cup for a third time in a row for the first time in more than 50 years.
Duhan van der Merwe lights up Twickenham as Scotland snatch win over England
England 23-29 Scotland: Van der Merwe scored two stunning tries as the visitors won a Six Nations classic to defend the Calcutta Cup
The opening weekend continues
Here we are then, the opening Sunday of the 2023 Six Nations, with Italy and France ready to begin their campaigns in crisp Roman sunshine.
Can France answer Ireland’s declaration of intent? Andy Farrell’s side looked mighty effective in the first half hour in Cardiff yesterday, putting the result beyond doubt early on to rather thoroughly spoil Warren Gatland’s Wales return.
TEAM NEWS: Italy line-up
Italy, meanwhile, begin their campaign without a handful of key names, with Toa Halafihi injured, wing Monty Ioane otherwise engaged with the Rebels in his native Melbourne and Paolo Garbisi still a week or two away from full fitness.
With no Garbisi, Tommaso Allan gets another opportunity to convert solid Harlequins form into a productive performance after a very good showing against Australia in the autumn, while Ange Capuozzo and Tommaso Menoncello will provide plenty of fresh-faced threat out wide.
Up front, Lorenzo Cannone is the beneficiary of Halafihi’s absence at number eight, with a six-two bench split evidence of Italy’s considerable back row depth. Lock Edoardo Iachizzi awaits a debut.
Italy: 15. Ange Capuozzo; 14. Pierre Bruno, 13. Juan Ignacio Brex, 12. Luca Morisi, 11. Tommaso Menoncello; 10. Tommaso Allan, 9. Stephen Varney; 1. Danilo Fischetti, 2. Giacomo Nicotera, 3. Simone Ferrari, 4. Niccolo Cannone, 5. Federico Ruzza, 6. Sebastian Negri, 7. Michele Lamaro (capt), 8. Lorenzo Cannone.
Replacements: 16. Luca Bigi, 17. Federico Zani, 18. Pietro Ceccarelli, 19. Edoardo Iachizzi, 20. Giovanni Pettinelli, 21. Manuel Zuliani, 22. Alessandro Fusco, 23. Edoardo Padovani.
TEAM NEWS: France line-up
An unbeaten 2022 gives way to a vital 2023 for France, with a defence of their Grand Slam crown and a home World Cup to come later in the year. Like counterpart Kieran Crowley, Fabien Galthie is shorn of a handful of influential figures, with Cameron Woki and Jonathan Danty leaving sizeable schematic holes in the second row and centres respectively.
Gabin Villiere is back ahead of schedule but not quite ready to return to action just yet, which grants a debut for Ethan Dumortier on the left wing. The versatile Yoram Moefana wears 12 while Thomas Ramos gets the nod ahead of Toulouse teammate Melvyn Jaminet at full back.
The form of Cyril Baille will be a slight concern for Galthie, but his first-choice front row remains intact after a fine tournament 12 months ago. Thibaud Flament takes Woki’s spot at loosehead lock and France also have six forwards among their replacements on which they can call – though do everything Sekou Macalou doubles as handy wing cover. Uber talented 20-year-old scrum half Nolan Le Garrec is another likely debutant.
France: 15. Thomas Ramos; 14. Damian Penaud, 13. Gael Fickou, 12. Yoram Moefana, 11. Ethan Dumortier; 10. Romain Ntamack, 9. Antoine Dupont (capt); 1. Cyril Baille, 2. Julien Marchand, 3. Uini Atonio; 4. Thibaud Flament, 5. Paul Willemse; 6. Anthony Jelonch, 7. Charles Ollivon, 8. Gregory Alldritt.
Replacements: 16. Gaetan Barlot, 17. Reda Wardi, 18. Sipili Falatea, 19. Romain Taofifenua, 20. Thomas Lavault, 21. Sekou Macalou, 22. Nolann Le Garrec, 23. Matthieu Jalibert.
What TV channel is Italy vs France on?
France look to kick off a historic year for Les Bleus ahead of the World Cup when they travel to face Italy in the Six Nations opener.
The French side were visited by former federation president Bernard Laporte before the game.
The move was controversial after Laporte was handed a two-year suspended prison sentence for corruption in December.
France’s general manager Raphael Ibanez explained the decision: “Our mission is a purely sporting one. Last night we invited Bernard, because France organising the World Cup is thanks to him. And that’s where the deep motivation of our players comes from. The staff - it’s him, too.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the game in Rome:
What TV channel is Italy vs France on?
Everything you need to know as the World Cup hosts begin their Six Nations campaign
Six Nations 2023: Italy vs France
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Italy vs France - the final match of Round 1 of the 2023 Six Nations.
France are aiming to defend the Six Nations title that they won in such style with last year’s grand slam and start their bid when they travel to Rome to face a resurgent Italy this afternoon.
It promises to be a massive year for Les Bleus, who will host the World Cup in September, and under head coach Fabien Galthie are one of the favourites both then and now. Their fiercest competition for both comes in the shape of the No 1 ranked side in the world: Ireland, whose bonus-point victory over Wales in the opener in Cardiff on Saturday makes next week’s contest in Dublin a tantalising prospect.
However, they can’t overlook Italy - who finally ended their embarrassing 36-match losing streak in the Six Nations last year with an emotional victory over Wales, as the heroics of young superstar Ange Capuozzo set up Edoardo Padovani for a late game-winning try that will go down in the tournament’s history. Kieran Crowley’s side followed that up with a first-ever victory over Australia in the autumn and are a youthful team, clearly on the up.
We’ll bring you all the live coverage.
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