Determined Italy show up French weaknesses

France 25 Italy 0France wore white in Paris but that was as close as Bernard Laporte's side got to an imitation of England. This was a convincing enough scoreline but not convincing enough to suggest France can win what looks certain to be a grand slam showdown here on March 27th.

Italy's captain, Andrea de Rossi, tried to be diplomatic as he sat slumped in the bowels of the Stade on Saturday night, fingering the bruises on his face after the most gruelling week he is likely to experience. Six days after the azzurri conceded half a century of points to the world champions, they leaked half of that on a freezing afternoon.

"If I was to be honest I felt the English were stronger last week. The French team are maturing, they are taking fresh heart from every game and they put our lineout under pressure, but we equalled and sometimes dominated what is probably the strongest scrum in the world. We couldn't do this against England because they were so powerful."

De Rossi had played a major part in a backs-to-the-wall display by Italy that bordered on the heroic. They made 131 tackles but it seemed twice that much, and the flanker and his fellow back-rower Aaron Persico constantly threw themselves beneath a white tide of attacking Frenchmen.

Italy never even had the luxury of a kick at goal in what was the first time in the championship that a team has failed to score since France beat Wales 51-0 at Wembley in 1998.

But this was a world away from that sunlit extravaganza of attacking rugby six years ago. France had what Italy's coach, John Kirwan, thought was "85 per cent of possession" but their potent back line never really clicked into gear.

The Toulouse wing, Vincent Clerc, the fastest man on the pitch, was never given a decent run and France were grateful to the elongated body of number eight Imanol Harinordoquy for his two stretches over the line for tries in either half and a breakaway try from Pepito Elhorga 10 minutes from time.

Ironically, Elhorga may come into the reckoning for a place in France's back three when they go to Cardiff next week. The fall guy could be Christophe Dominici, the wing who 10 minutes after the break committed an error that was as farcical as any scene from Monsieur Hulot's Holiday. Dominici had sliced through the Italian cover but knocked the ball on as he casually tried to dab it down one-handed just in front of the dead-ball line.

Laporte failed to see the funny side. The coach said: "What he did was unacceptable. It is aggravating for his team-mates when something like that happens because we run through these moves in training. He is an imbecile."

Next week Laporte is certain to reinstate Frederic Michalak, provided the outhalf has recovered from his neck injury. His stand-in, Julien Peyrelongue, was a steady enough replacement but he lacks Michalak's speed and eye for an opening.

FRANCE: Brusque (Elhorga, 64); Clerc, Jauzion, Traille, Dominici; Peyrelongue, Elissalde (Yachvili, 74); Marconnet (Crenca, 68), Servat (Bru, 49), De Villiers, Pelous (capt, Auradou, 75), Pape, Betsen, Magne (T Lievremont, 75), Harinordoquy.

ITALY: De Marigny; Mirco Bergamasco, Stoica, Barbini (M Dallan, 49), D Dallan (Mazzucato, 59); Wakarua, Griffen; Lo Cicero, Ongaro (Festuccia, 59), Castrogiovanni (Perugini, 72), Dellape (Checchinato, 53), Bortolami, De Rossi (capt), Persico, Parisse.

Referee: A Lewis (Ireland).