When French captain Charles Ollivon crashed over the line to score in the sixth minute it looked as if this was to be a repeat of the France-Italy games we have seen so often over the years. France dominated the possession for the first half but in the face of a defiant Italian defence failed to find the cutting edge and clinical accuracy that defined their pre-World Cup campaign. So, when Les Bleus went a man down on the stroke of half time due to Jonathan Danty receiving a yellow card for a high tackle, the nervous energy hit the (closed) roof. The yellow was reviewed and upgraded to a red over the course of half-time, meaning that as the Azzurri’s ran back out to restart, they knew they had the advantage of numbers for the rest of the game.
Italy struggled to make their extra man count however, with characteristic errors starting to slip in. It was only in the 60th minute, when a penalty converted by Garbisi took the score to 13-6 and took the Italians to within touching distance of the French. A break by the Italians gave the mercurial Ange Capuozzo all the space he needed to dive over and after a successful conversion, take the score level. Italy’s historic win against Wales in the 2022 campaign had been their last win in 45 attempts, and France had won their last 14 games in the Six Nations against Italy. But here, in Lille, when the clock ran into the red and France conceded a penalty in front of the posts, you got the sense that Italy were daring to dream. Up stepped Garbisi to take, but the ball fell off the tee, eating into the shot clock but he quickly regained his composure, only fire just off target by a width of a post, with the ball bouncing off the upright to end the match as a draw.
Instead of a deserved success, Italy walk away with a highly creditable draw. They have beaten the French twice before in the Six Nations, but never away from Rome, and the fact they came so close in Lille will sting. However, the draw took them back into the Top 10 World Rankings for the first time since 2013, and this campaign, whilst on paper might not look successful, has shown a resurgent Italy side, ready for the future.
France, meanwhile, are a controversial TMO call against Scotland and the width of an upright post against Italy from being three losses in three in the competition. They look shadows of their pre-World Cup selves, with perhaps the spectre of a failure to capture the Webb Ellis trophy on home soil still haunting them. One positive of the game was one Posolo Tuilagi- nephew of Manu and son of Henry. The 19-year-old Perpignan lock made his first French start against Italy, and was as powerful in his offensive carries as he was steadfast in his defensive duties. France travel to Cardiff to face against Wales on the 10th March and Fabien Galthie will undoubtedly be hoping for more of an assured performance from his side.