Flawless France make Rugby World Cup knockout stages with easy win over Italy

France 60 Italy 7

Vive la France. Vive la différence, the fancy dress pageantry, the colour, the razzmatazz with musical overtones provided a vibrant backdrop as the World Cup hosts progressed to the quarter-finals as pool winners. It was a night of celebration, before, during and after the game.

Travelling to the stadium by tram, strangers unified by wearing the French colours struck up conversations about potential quarter-final opponents, a consensus from those within earshot they would prefer not to face Ireland. As one woman explained: “I want to see France play Ireland in the World Cup final, that would be good for European rugby.” No arguments here.

Fabien Galthié, French rugby’s alchemist, was able to concentrate on playing matters this week rather than the daily prognosis on captain Antoine Dupont’s rehabilitation from facial surgery, the suited scrumhalf looking relaxed as he threw the ball around with his team-mates in the preamble to the warm-up.

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His replacement Maxime Lucu had a fine game, ensuring that France were able to play with the tempo created by the work of the pack, who provided quick, front foot ball. They dominated by facets of the set piece and scored tries in staccato bursts out wide. Cameron Woki and the backrow of Anthony Jelonch, captain Charles Ollivon and Grégory Alldritt were conspicuously effective.

France scored eight tries and could easily have taken that tally well into double figures but it mattered little as they are where they want to be in the tournament and once the result of Ireland’s game against Scotland is known, will find out their opponents in the last eight. It’s been a flawless passage through the pool stage.

Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) president Marzio Innocenti decided in June that Argentinian Gonzalo Quesada would replace Kieran Crowley – the New Zealander was hoping to have his contract renewed – after the World Cup. There’s no doubt that it has destabilised the previous coherence, based on performance results in France.

Crowley, who took over in 2021, led Italy to victories over Wales – it brought an end to 36 games without a win in the Six Nations and a first ever win over Australia. He has overseen a maturation in the Italian style of play to include a more skill-based approach, underpinned by more expansive patterns.

Italy have looked a pale shadow at the World Cup. Trailing Uruguay at half-time, it required a decent second-half display to rescue the victory. Annihilated 96-17 by New Zealand, in the days after the game the Italian players were asked to write down their feelings and thoughts as a squad and they then threw them into a fire to expunge the memory. This was a gruesome sequel.

It took 100 seconds, 11 phases, three missed tackles, superb continuity and great handling for France’s first try scored by Damien Penaud. Ramos kicked the conversion, tagged on a long-range penalty and then added the extra points to a try from Louis Bielle-Biarrey.

Penaud had overcooked a kick minutes earlier for his fellow winger but on the second occasion his dinked chip was better judged but the 20-year-old Bielle-Biarrey still had to bypass a couple of tacklers. At 17-0 after just 12 minutes it was a case of deja vu for the Italians, suggesting another black night.

France, perhaps slightly distracted by how easy it was, conceded a couple of penalties. Italy kicked to the corner and prop Simon Ferrari muscled over but the prop, winning his 50th cap, had his try chalked off because he was guilty of a high clear-out at the preceding ruck.

France grabbed the bonus-point try three minutes before half-time, the lineout maul eating up metres and then having narrowed up Italy in defence, Mathieu Jalibert’s cross-kick for Penaud was pinpoint, the wing moving into second place on his own in the French all-time try scoring stakes, behind the watching Serge Blanco.

Jalibert’s dancing feet got the party started in the second half as he sashayed his way over the line, hooker Peato Mauvaka’s last act was to barrel over for a try from close range; Ramos converted both and at 45-0 the last quarter of the match looked like offering no respite.

And so it came to pass, replacement Yoram Moefana brought up the half century of points when he strolled over in the corner after Jalibert’s neat cut-out pass. The newly introduced Melvyn Jaminet kicked the touchline conversion.

Italy finally got a reward for their endeavour when replacement Manuel Zuliani powered over after excellent work by Luca Morisi in fighting through several tackles to set up the field position. Moefana’s second try enabled the French supporters to clamber to their feet once again for one final celebration with Jaminet’s injury-time penalty bringing the game to a conclusion.

All roads lead to Paris.

Scoring sequence

1 min: Penaud try, Ramos conversion, 7-0; 6: Ramos penalty, 10-0; 12: Bielle-Biarrey try, Ramos conversion, 17-0; 21: Ramos try, Ramos conversion, 24-0; 37: Penaud try, Ramos conversion, 31-0. Half-time: 31-0. 46: Jalibert try, Ramos conversion, 38-0; 53: Mauvaka try, Ramos conversion, 45-0; 63: Moefana try, Jaminet conversion, 52-0; 70: Zuliani try, Allan conversion, 52-7; 75: Moefana try, 57-7 80 (+1): Jaminet penalty, 60-7.

France: T Ramos; D Penaud, G Fickou, J Danty, L Bielle-Biarrey; M Jalibert, M Lucu; C Baille, P Mauvaka, U Atonio; C Woki, T Flament; A Jelonch, C Ollivon (capt), Grégory Alldritt. Replacements: R Taofifenua for Flament 44 mins; D Aldegheri for Atonio 44 mins; François Cros for Ollivon 54 mins; B Couilloud for Lucu 54 mins; P Bourgarit for Mauvaka 54 mins; R Wardi for Baille 54 mins; Y Moefana for Fickou 61 mins; M Jaminet for Ramos 61 mins.

Italy: A Capuozzo; P Bruno, J Ignacio Brex, P Garbisi, M Ioane; T Allan, S Varney; S Ferrari, H Faiva, P Ceccarelli; Niccolò Cannone, F Ruzza; S Negri, M Lamaro (capt), L Cannone. Replacements: L Pani for Capuozzo (HIA) 30 mins; M Zuliani for Lamaro 43 mins; A Fusco for Varney 43 mins; M Riccioni for Ceccarelli 55 mins; D Sisi for N Cannone 55 mins; M Manfredi for Faiva 61 mins; F Zani for Ferrari 61 mins; L Morisi for Bruno 64 mins.

Referee: K Dickson (England)