France solidified its position as a leading contender for the Six Nations title with a decisive 33-8 victory over Italy on March 3, 2024. The match, held at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, showcased France’s attacking prowess, although it was marked by moments of indiscipline and errors.
The French team, coached by Fabien Galthié, remains the only side in the tournament to have won all three of its matches so far, aiming for back-to-back championships. This victory added five tries to their tally, bringing their total to 18 tries this tournament, just shy of the tournament record of 30 set last year.
France started strong, with left winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, lock Emmanuel Meafou, and makeshift flyhalf Thomas Ramos each crossing the try line in the first half. The French dominated early, leading 19-0 within the first 30 minutes, thanks in part to plays orchestrated by star scrumhalf Antoine Dupont.
Despite the impressive start, France’s momentum waned as they attempted to play an overly entertaining style, which allowed Italy to come back into the game. Fullback Ange Capuozzo capitalized on a lapse in French defense to score Italy’s first try, followed by a penalty from Paolo Garbisi that narrowed the score to 19-8 at halftime.
The scoreboard remained unchanged until the 71st minute, when Ramos, displaying his awareness, kicked into the right corner to set up winger Gaël Dréan for a try on his test debut. This moment was contentious, as Italy was down to 13 players at that point, with Capuozzo still receiving treatment for a shoulder injury and winger Louis Lynagh serving a sin bin penalty for a deliberate knock-on.
In the closing moments, center Emilien Gailleton showcased his strength by breaking a tackle to score another try, which Ramos converted, finalizing the score at 33-8.
Ramos reflected on the match, stating, “It wasn’t our most complete performance. But I can tell you Italy really fought hard; we were not surprised by their intensity.” Galthié acknowledged the team’s tension during the match, noting, “We made a few mistakes in terms of our positioning and our lineouts.” Adjustments were necessary after Matthieu Jalibert withdrew from the match due to a minor calf injury, leading to Ramos stepping into the flyhalf role and further impacting team dynamics.
The French team will next face Scotland in an away match, while Italy prepares to host a struggling England side on March 7, 2024. France’s previous matches included a commanding 36-14 win against Ireland and a rout of Wales with eight tries in Cardiff. Italy, meanwhile, has had a mixed tournament, beating Scotland but narrowly losing to Ireland.
As the competition heats up, the battle for the Six Nations title intensifies, with France looking to maintain its winning streak and solidify its dominance in European rugby.
