France See Off Italy in London

No match could have followed the drama that unfolded in Brighton with Japan causing the biggest upset of all time against two time world champions, South Africa but there was, nonetheless, hope that Italy could follow it up against France. It did not eventuate as a one-dimensional French side got the job done by playing low-risk big-man rugby.

The two tries to one victory gives France the competition points, four to be precise. With Ireland having outclassed Canada earlier in the day to collect five World Cup points a big French win would not have been enough to sit top of the pool.  The game plan of the team, though, was never about finding ways through the Italian defence. They were all about controlling field position and holding onto it by attacking through the mid-field with centers and forwards doing the hard yards.

The policy has failed to achieve acceptable results thus far but continues to drive Phillipe Saint-André’s team. While it does not results in opening spaces for France’s fliers it does win penalties. Against Italy it certainly did so with the central Europeans being heavily penalised throughout the match. The first penalty in the 4th minute, from a scrum, gave Frédéric Michalak the opportunity to open the scoring. His attempted penalty rebounded off the post.

Two minutes later he took his second opportunity to make it 3-0 from a slightly easier kicking position. France’s Fijian winger then went over for a freakish try which was initially rewarded but subsequently called back for a knock-on. Noa Nakaitaci lost control of the ball over the try line after he had gathered a pass off the chest of an Italian tackler.

Referee Craig Joubert called back play for an Italian penalty allowing Michalak to make it 6-0 from a simple penalty in front of the posts. His opposite, Tommaso Allan had a tough chance to pull back three points but his 14th minute attempted penalty drifted to the left of the uprights.

It had come following some very good yardage gained from the Italian forwards who got wuick ball and forced France back some 40 metres through quick recycling. With the opportunity gone it was France who responded through Michalak whose third penalty made it a 9-0 game when he landed his third of five attempted penalties thus far in the contest.

Allan responded to get Italy on the board in the 28th minute. His long range kick had been tougher than his earlier miss but ultimately counted for little as French fullback Scott Spedding landed a wide attempted penalty from halfway. A frustrated Italy required to maintain discipline but only had itself to blame when second-rower Joshua Furno gave away a needless penalty enabling Michalak to kick a simple three points and give France a 15-3 half time lead.

Two minutes into the second half and Michalak was on target again. Trailing by fifteen despite not conceeding a try it was evident that Italy only had itself to blame as disciplinary problems played into France’s hands. A first ever test try by Rabah Slimani saw France all but home with 34 minutes left to play. The Stade Français tighthead prop latched onto a Michalak grubber-kick which rebounded off the foot of Furno.

Now 22 points behind Italy stopped playing a forward-oriented game and looked to the backs. Led by scrumhalf Edoardo Gori the Italians game very close with Gori himself almost crossing on two ocassions. The first saw him inches short while he was deemed to have knocked-on over the line for the second.

Sustained Italian pressure eventually saw a try with Giovanbattista Venditti scoring in a kickable position. Allan added the extras to make it 25-10 with plenty of time left to play. One of Italy’s most dangerous players during ther moves and, indeed, throughout was Leonardo Sarto who was in troble when Yoann Huget went down. The Toulouse winger was badly injured and forced from the field joining Andrea Masi whom had gone off in the opening half.

The loss of key personal was unfortunate for both teams but what was ultimately holding the game back was the niggle between the packs. Joubert had lost control early in the second half and the situation deteriorated as he opted against the use of yellow cards.

69 minutes in and Italy had conceeded some 18 penalties and was out of the game when replacement prop Nicolas Mas went over for the third and final try of the game. France will be in action again on Wednesday while Italy’s second game is to be a must-win assignment against Canada in Leeds next Saturday.

Scorers

France
Tries: Slimani, Mas
Conversions: Michalak (2)
Penalties: Michalak (5), Spedding

Italy
Try: Venditti
Conversions: Allan
Penalty: Allan

France
1 Eddy Ben Arous 2 Guilhem Guirado 3 Rabah Slimani 4 Pascal Papé 5 Yoann Maestri 6 Thierry Dusautoir (captain) 7 Damien Chouly 8 Louis Picamoles 9 Sébastien Tillous-Borde 10 Frédéric Michalak 11 Noa Nakaitaci 12 Alexandre Dumoulin 13 Mathieu Bastareaud 14 Yoann Huget 15 Scott Spedding

16 Benjamin Kayser 17 Vincent Debaty 18 Nicolas Mas 19 Alexandre Flanquart 20 Bernard le Roux 21 Morgan Parra 22 Rémi Talès 23 Gaël Fickou

Italy
1 Matías Agüero 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini (captain) 3 Martín Castrogiovanni 4 Quintin Geldenhuys 5 Joshua Furno 6 Alessandro Zanni 7 Francesco Minto 8 Samuela Vunisa 9 Edoardo Gori 10 Tommaso Allan 11 Giovanbattista Venditti 12 Andrea Masi 13 Michele Campagnaro 14 Leonardo Sarto 15 Luke McLean

16 Andrea Manici 17 Michele Rizzo 18 Lorenzo Cittadini 19 Valerio Bernabò 20 Simone Favaro 21 Guglielmo Palazzani 22 Carlo Canna 23 Enrico Bacchin