France's Grand Slam dreams are very much alive! In a thrilling encounter at Lille, the French rugby team secured a decisive 33-8 victory over Italy, keeping their hopes of a perfect Six Nations run and consecutive titles firmly intact.
Les Bleus, as they're affectionately known, wasted no time in asserting their dominance. Early tries from Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Emmanuel Meafou, and a late-call fly-half Thomas Ramos (stepping in for the injured Matthieu Jalibert) propelled them to an impressive 19-0 lead. It looked like it might be a one-sided affair!
But here's where it gets interesting... Italy, far from being disheartened, showed incredible spirit! They didn't just roll over. The Azzurri fought back valiantly, with a spirited try from Ange Capuozzo and a well-struck penalty by Paolo Garbisi, demonstrating their resilience and refusing to be outplayed. This is the kind of grit that makes the Six Nations so captivating!
And this is the part most people miss: even with a player in the sin-bin – Louis Lynagh was temporarily sidelined – France managed to clinch their crucial bonus-point try thanks to a debut score from Gael Drean. Emilien Gailleton added another try in a more subdued second half, sealing the win.
It's worth remembering that Italy has a surprisingly strong recent record against France in the Six Nations, having only lost twice. In fact, their 2024 clash also ended in a nail-biting draw in this very city of Lille! This history clearly fueled their determination.
France, who impressively only suffered one loss last year, now set their sights on Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday, March 7th. Meanwhile, Italy will host England on the same day. Given France's formidable home record, especially with a final showdown against England on home soil, their upcoming match against Scotland could very well be the defining moment for their Grand Slam aspirations.
Emmanuel Meafou shared his thoughts, stating, "I think we always believed we would get the bonus-point win. We knew Italy were a strong team, they hung in for 80 minutes, they never cracked and they never let go." He also revealed their broader ambition: "Our goal is to take out the Six Nations game by game but the end goal is the 2027 World Cup so we keep working towards that." This forward-thinking approach is characteristic of a top-tier team.
For England, who have faced back-to-back heavy defeats, this Italian performance will undoubtedly boost their confidence in securing a first win against them. Gonzalo Quesada's Italian side, who impressively defeated Scotland in their opening match, simply ran out of steam in the second half against France.
France's attacking prowess was on full display in their opening rounds against Ireland and Wales, where they secured emphatic wins, signaling their serious intent for a Grand Slam, a feat they last achieved in 2022.
But here's where it gets controversial... While France's early tries were spectacular, with Antoine Dupont's perfectly weighted kick finding the flying Bielle-Biarrey for a record-breaking eighth consecutive Six Nations game try, and Meafou's close-range finish, was the early dominance too comfortable? Did it allow Italy to find their footing? Some might argue that a truly dominant side would have put the game beyond doubt even earlier.
Two years ago in Lille, France learned a harsh lesson about underestimating an improving Italy when Paolo Garbisi's last-gasp penalty agonizingly struck the post, denying them a historic Six Nations victory on French soil. This memory undoubtedly fueled Italy's fight.
Italy, who gave Ireland a serious scare in Dublin last week, maintained their composure. They could have easily scored more than just Capuozzo's first-half try. Despite fading in the latter stages, Italy's scrum, a significant weapon in Dublin, continued to be a force, winning crucial penalties. Their centres, Tommaso Menoncello and Leonardo Marin, looked particularly threatening and could pose a serious challenge to England's currently struggling defense.
Italy captain Michele Lamaro acknowledged the scoreline's truth but highlighted their second-half struggles: "The scoreboard is always the truth of the game and we have to go with that. France were unbelievably good at taking their opportunities, especially in the first half. We couldn't build pressure in the second half and that took us to 70 minutes when we got the yellow card."
While France had to dig deep for their fourth try, a shock defeat was never truly on the cards. For this exceptionally talented French squad, anything less than a Grand Slam now would surely feel like a missed opportunity.
France Squad: Attissogbe; Drean, Gailleton, Brau-Boirie, Bielle-Biarrey; Ramos, Dupont (capt); Gros, Marchand, Aldegheri, Flament, Meafou, Cros, Jegou, Jelonch. Replacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Colombe, Ollivon, Guillard, Nouchi, Serin, Barassi.
Italy Squad: Fischetti; Lynagh, Menoncello, Marin; Ioane; P Garbisi, Fusco; Fischetti, Nicotera, Ferrari, N Cannone, Zambonin, Lamaro (capt), Zuliani, L Cannone. Replacements: Dimcheff, Spagnolo, Zilocchi, Ruzza, Favretto, Odiase, Garbisi, Odogwu.
Sin-bin: Lynagh (71)
What are your thoughts on Italy's performance? Did France do enough to impress you, or do you think they could have been more clinical? Let us know in the comments below!
