France v Italy LIVE: Six Nations 2024 result and reaction after visitors come agonisingly close to victory
The Azzurri are searching for their first victory of the tournament while Les Bleus hope to build on their win over Scotland
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Paolo Garbisi struck the post with a potential match-winning penalty as Italy narrowly missed out on a famous Six Nations victory over France in Lille.
With the scores level and the clock dead, Garbisi lined up a shot at goal from the left that would have given Gonzalo Quesada his first win as Italy boss.
But having been rushed into his attempt with the shot clock running down after the ball fell off his tee, Garbisi’s flighted effort curled against the right-hand post, rebounding away to ensure France held on for a 13-13 draw.
The hosts had been profligate in a first half they dominated but the game tilted after Jonathan Danty’s dismissal just before the interval.
The France centre was initially shown a yellow card for his head-on-head collision with Juan Ignacio Brex, but an upgrade to red on review in the TMO bunker gave Italy confidence that they could fight back to secure a significant win over the pre-tournament favourites.
Ange Capuozzo’s score in the corner and a fine Garbisi touchline conversion set up a shot at glory, but the fly half was denied by the woodwork as Italy came agonisingly close.
Relive all the Six Nations action below, plus get the latest odds and tips right here:
France vs Italy
Italy’s scrum and lineout really wobbled against Ireland, which perhaps explains Gonzalo Quesada and Giosue Zilocchi being brought into their front row today. But you do worry about how they will combat the power on the tighthead side of the French scrum - Danilo Fischetti is an excellent operator in so many ways but is somewhat slight for a prop, and the combination of Uini Atonio, Posolo Tuilagi and Charles Ollivon is super-sized. Italy’s pack will have to muscle up to have a chance, you’d say.
France defence coach Shaun Edwards offers his pre-match thoughts to ITV
“We have a roof here, so the conditions are totally different to what they were in Scotland. We are going to have to adapt our tactics to that. It’s more suited to running rugby, but we have selected a big pack. That big pack is there to do a job in the first half and hopefully the backs can do their job in the second half.
“As regards to the [new] coaching staff, we have to gel first, and I think we are doing a pretty good job of doing that. We felt we had momentum after the Scotland game, a very difficult fixture away from home, and now we have momentum there and need to continue.
On Posolo Tuilagi, who makes a first start: “Hopefully he can create some go forward with the ball and stop the go forward when they’ve got the ball. It’s a pretty simple job! There’s other complexities to it, but that’s primarily his job. Italy are a team that never give in, they are fit and mobile.”
Can Italy repeat their age group heroics?
There’s already been one significant victory for Italy over France this weekend, with their Under-20s getting a first ever victory over their neighbours at that level on Friday night. The Italian scrum was simply sensational, marmalising an admittedly slightly under-strength French eight, while wing Marco Scalabrin looks quite the prospect.
And how better to celebrate a breakthrough victory than with some Puccini? Impressive stuff from replacement tighthead Davide Ascari, who has got some serious pipes.
Italy team news
No late scares for Italy, with the 23 named on Friday intact for kick off. Gonzalo Quesada shuffles his pack after a bruising trip to Dublin that saw Italy fail to register: Federico Mori starts at inside centre with Tommaso Menoncello shifted out to the wing, while Martin Page-Relo replaces Stephen Varney at scrum half with the Italy coach keen to assess his options at nine.
Riccardo Favretto will win his second international cap three years on from his first in a new-look back row, with the uncapped Matteo Canali among Italy’s own six-strong bench forward unit.
Italy XV: 1 Danilo Fischetti, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 3 Giosue Zilocchi; 4 Niccolo Cannone, 5 Federico Ruzza; 6 Riccardo Favretto, 7 Michele Lamaro (capt.), 8 Ross Vintcent; 9 Martin Page-Relo, 10 Paolo Garbisi; 11 Monty Ioane, 12 Federico Mori, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 14 Tommaso Menoncello; 15 Ange Capuozzo.
Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 Matteo Canali, 20 Andrea Zambonin, 21 Manuel Zuliani; 22 Stephen Varney, 23 Leonardo Marin.
France team news
Fabien Galthie hands teenage lock Posolo Tuilagi his first start in the French pack, with Paul Boudehent brought into the back row after injury to Gregory Alldritt. Charles Ollivon captains in Alldritt’s absence with Francois Cros sliding across to No 8, while potential debutant Esteban Abadie is one of six forwards on the bench.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey’s neck injury was a bit of a spanner in the French works on match eve - Matthis Lebel had been due to start for Toulouse at full-back tonight, but has been whistled up to the north and comes straight into the starting side.
France XV: 1 Cyrill Baille, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 3 Uini Atonio; 4 Cameron Woki, 5 Posolo Tuilagi; 6 Paul Boudehent, 7 Charles Ollivon (capt.), 8 Francois Cros; 9 Maxime Lucu, 10 Matthieu Jalibert; 11 Matthis Lebel, 12 Jonathan Danty, 13 Gael Fickou, 14 Damian Penaud; 15 Thomas Ramos.
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Sebastien Taofifenua, 18 Dorian Aldegheri, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Alexandre Roumat, 21 Esteban Abadie; 22 Nolann Le Garrec, 23 Yoram Moefana.
France vs Italy
We are, of course, in Lille today, with France continuing their Six Nations roadshow with the Stade de France out of action ahead of this summer’s Olympic festivities. Uruguay gave Les Bleus one hell of a scare at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy during the World Cup, but I’d expect a slightly livelier atmosphere this afternoon.
Let’s take a closer look at the two teams.
Pre-match thoughts from Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada:
“Every game is a new opportunity to continue on the path of growth. We know how the last match went and it was useful to work on certain areas of the game.
“We want to show the best version of ourselves. We have heart, character and determination. All these characteristics must be put on the field against a team that is tactically and physically strong.”
Pre-match thoughts from France head coach Fabien Galthie:
“When you compete in the Six Nations, it’s like a 400m race, you start by sprinting and you have to accelerate at each turn.
“We want to play better and specifically defend better. Playing better also means without the ball. We need to be more disciplined. We must first be strong on the basics: solidarity, commitment and courage.”
Who is Six Nations official Christophe Ridley?
Christophe Ridley will make his Six Nations debut after being appointed to referee the round three clash between France and Italy.
The talented young Englishman joins the officiating panel as a lead official after the retirement of Wayne Barnes, having worked closely with his compatriot during his career so far.
A former member of the academy at Leicester Tigers, Ridley switched to refereeing after a series of injuries and has developed quickly through the ranks after studying at the University of Gloucestershire.
Students on the sports scholarship programme at the university benefit from the expertise of three-time World Cup official Chris White, who helped both Ridley and fellow top official Matthew Carley develop.
Ridley’s Premiership debut came in 2018, taking charge of London Irish vs Wasps, and the 30-year-old travelled to last year’s World Cup as an assistant.
His Six Nations debut comes as one of four English referees appointed to games in the championship, with Carley, Karl Dickson and Luke Pearce all earning selection again.
Steve Borthwick describes England’s defeat to Scotland as ‘real painful lesson’
Frustrated Steve Borthwick felt his work-in-progress England team were taught “a real painful lesson” by a Duhan Van Der Merwe-inspired Scotland after the Red Rose crashed to a fourth consecutive Calcutta Cup defeat at Murrayfield.
The visitors arrived in Edinburgh hoping to make it three Guinness Six Nations victories in a row, but after a bright start in which a George Furbank try helped them carve a 10-0 lead in the opening quarter of an hour.
However, they lost their way and were put to the sword by their clinical hosts who ran out 30-21 winners.
Steve Borthwick describes England’s defeat to Scotland as ‘real painful lesson’
Duhan Van Der Merwe became the first Scottish player to score a Calcutta Cup hat-trick as Scotland claimed a fourth straight win against England.
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