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Up to date:
Feb 8, 2023
Italy 24 vs France 29
France narrowly prevented a shock in Rome as Matthieu Jalibert’s late strive edged them previous a powerful Italian facet. Italy had fought again brilliantly, overturning a 13-point deficit to guide the sport because it headed into the ultimate quarter. For France, it represents one thing of a wake-up name. There have been flashes of the scorching play they handled us to final yr, however they lacked their regular precision. Most worrying for France was their ill-discipline, conceding 18 penalties and permitting the Italians straightforward factors and territory. With Shaun Edwards marshalling the French defence, you may assure there will likely be an uncomfortable evaluation session this week. Their poor self-discipline allowed Italy again into the sport after three first-half tries had put them within the ascendancy.
Italy can take an enormous quantity of satisfaction from their defeat, however there can even be the lingering query of what if? The Italians performed with an exquisite ambition that generally strayed into recklessness. If the Italians had handled the restarts extra pragmatically, they may have gained. Sadly, they gifted France some straightforward factors, which in the end price them pricey. Nonetheless, there’s a lot to love about this courageous new Italy, a few of their attacking play was wonderful, intricate and executed proper on the line. The Italians may very well be accused of being overly elaborate with a few of their section play on the time, maybe hampered by some week one rustiness. It was within the second half when their forwards began to punch some severe holes that they regarded particularly harmful.
The match started at a frenetic tempo, with France butchering a counter-attacking alternative inside the first minute. The French regarded ominous initially, creating lightning-quick ruck ball whereas Dupont was his regular menacing self across the fringes. Nonetheless, their first strive got here from an Italian mistake; Luke Varney’s field kick was charged down by the lock Thibaud Flament, who confirmed spectacular wheels to dash over. Varney’s kick was poor, however his guard was non-existent, an issue that plagued Italy all afternoon. Tommy Allan received Italy on the board with a penalty, however the Azzurri engaged in a spot of rugby suicide on the restart, gifting France the ball and solely being saved by Grégory Alldritt dropping the ball over the road. France got here once more, although, and after sucking within the Italian defence via their maul, Thomas Ramos picked up the scraps of Romain Ntamack’s crossfield kick to attain. France’s identification of house was spectacular via the primary half, with a transparent tactic to stretch Italy backward and forward.
Allan once more responded with a penalty, as Italy loved an honest spell of possession with out fairly penetrating the French defence. As soon as once more, Italy’s incapacity to exit their 22 induced them issues, gifting France some straightforward territory that they gleefully exploited. Ntamack once more supplied the crossfield kick, with the debutant Ethan Dumortier being the beneficiary this time, snaring a strive on debut. At 19-6 down, Italy might have simply capitulated, however they confirmed wonderful spirit and, aided by French ill-discipline, they grew into the sport. After a concerted spell of stress within the French 22, Ange Capuozzo was left one-on-one with Aldritt, beating him to the road with a bamboozling in-to-out step. Italy completed the half strongly, discovering themselves again within the French 22 after the French conceded two useless line-out penalties in a row (If Shaun Edwards had hair). France’s defence was determined, however extra ill-discipline allowed Allan to fit a penalty and reduce France’s result in 5 factors.
The second half received off to a equally frantic begin, although Italy did handle one thing resembling an affordable exit from their 22. Some French possession led to a penalty which Ramos slotted over, stretching France’s result in eight factors. However Italy hit again exhausting, and their second strive got here from a extra conventional Italian energy, their maul. Ollivon was charged with bringing the maul down, and Matthew Carley awarded a penalty attempt to gave Ollivon a yellow card, the final word double whammy. France handled the sin bin interval effectively, with Damien Penaud virtually scoring an superior solo strive. Ramos missed a possibility to increase France’s lead, and with the clock hovering across the sixty-minute mark, Allan fired over a penalty that gave Italy the lead.
Italy had been trying effectively on prime at this level, with their forwards carrying with some actual intent, whereas they’d gained an edge on the breakdown, slowing down and even stealing the French ball. The sport turned as soon as once more with the introduction of the French bench, who supplied some much-needed impetus. France once more used their maul to suck in Italy’s defence earlier than Gaël Fickou made some exhausting yards via the center. They scored within the subsequent section, the hulking determine of Romain Taofifenua dexterously off-loading to his fellow substitute, Matthieu Jalibert, who gleefully dived over to revive France’s lead. Italy didn’t give in, and Allan missed a possibility to tug them inside two factors, however France began to exert extra stress on the breakdown. France’s unwell self-discipline left the door open for Italy into the dying minutes, and Italy arrange a maul ten metres out, however some good French spoiling work snuffed out any hazard. Carley’s whistle was met with French aid and Italian wistfulness.
Italy can have a lingering disappointment, however they may take plenty of confidence from the sport. They confirmed they might trigger issues with their assault, whereas their self-discipline, an Achilles heel previously, was wonderful all through. Their verve and ambition was commendable and vastly entertaining, although they maybe performed an excessive amount of rugby in their very own half. Individually there have been some wonderful performances; their again row was excellent, with Sebastien Negri a menace all afternoon. Loosehead prop Danillo Fischetti carried like an additional flanker whereas within the centres, Ignacio Brex and Luca Morisi posed a big menace, and naturally, Capuozzo was his regular electrical self. Italy will rue their poor exit technique and falling off too many tackles (37 in whole), however they’ll head to Twickenham with a quiet confidence.
France will likely be relieved to have come via victorious and quietly happy with the bonus level. It’s a testomony to France’s successful mentality that they held on; you may’t assist however really feel it’s a sport they might have misplaced a few years in the past. Nonetheless, they are going to be vastly disillusioned with facets of their sport, particularly their whopping penalty rely. As coach Fabien Galthié identified after the sport, ‘It’s one thing we will right rapidly’. They might want to, as Eire will ruthlessly exploit any generosity, as they confirmed towards Wales. Their assault regarded in respectable form, however they generally lacked their regular pinpoint accuracy. Individually their stand-out man was their most capped participant, Gaël Fickou, who produced an outstanding efficiency, eking out exhausting yards in assault and showcasing his regular defensive excellence. There will likely be issues for France, however in the end, they received the job performed.
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