France ensure Cardiff showdown

France 25 Italy 13: France have ensured the Six Nations will go to the wire and will look to retain their title in Cardiff next week after labouring past a resilient and well-organised Italian side in Paris.

Needing to win to avoid relinquishing their title to unbeaten Wales, a much-changed Les Bleus did what they had to, with Anthony Floch, Yannick Jauzion and Aurelien Rougerie going over and Dimitri Yachvili kicking 10 points.

It was an error strewn performance from Marc Lievremont's side but they had the killer instinct their opponents lacked at crucial times, with their more experienced campaigners stepping up to finish the Azzurri off.

Italy, still without a win in the tournament, were game opposition throughout, but had just a Martin Castrogiovanni try and eight points from the boot of Andrea Marcato to show for their efforts.

France will need to post around a 20 point win at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday to keep hold of their title.

The Azzurri came into the match never having beaten France in the Six Nations and having conceded 132 points in their last three tournament games against their rivals.

France should have put points on the board in the fourth minute when they were awarded a penalty close to the Italian try-line.

Les Bleus captain Lionel Nallet chose a tap-and-go rather than a kick at goal but botched his quick kick and the chance was lost.

France had the better of the early possession though, and produced a well-worked try in the 13th minute to open the scoring.

A rolling maul saw them gain 30 metres and when the ball was eventually recycled out, outhalf Francois Trinh-Duc sent a crossfield kick to the left corner.

Julien Malzieu was the grateful recipient and he patted the ball down to Clermont-Auvergne team-mate Floch, who dived over from close range.

Yachvili booted the conversion but Marcato punished Louis Picamoles for a nonsensical offside with a 40-yard penalty to make it 7-3 moments later.

Italy then wasted a glorious chance to take the lead in the 22nd minute. Leonardo Ghiraldini held off a tackle from Yachvili to scamper down the left touchline and he fed inside for Gonzalo Canale.

All the centre had to do was collect the pass and the try was his, but he fumbled 10 metres out.

The hosts' line-out was malfunctioning badly but they extended their lead in the 27th minute when Yachvili slotted over a penalty after the recalled Jauzion was taken out off the ball.

Marcato and Yachvili swapped penalties in the last 10 minutes of the first half as the game remained close, but France looked to have got a vital score in the 52nd minute when Jauzion went over in the left corner.

Yachvili did the clever work, pulling away from an umpteenth forward incursion by the French pack and chipping a kick over the top of a static defence. Toulouse star Jauzion was quickest to pounce and collect a friendly bounce to plunder over.

Twelve points in arrears, Italy knew they had to hit back quickly and they did just that.  They turned down a kick at goal in the 57th minute in favour of an attacking line-out and the ploy worked a treat.

The throw was taken and Castrogiovanni, a tryscorer against Wales a fortnight ago, was at the base of an unstoppable rolling maul to dive over in the right corner. Marcato converted but France were not to be undone.

They were denied a try on the hour mark when video replays confirmed Rougerie was held up over the line following a stunning tackle by Mirco Bergamasco.

But the winger got his own back in the 64th minute, running onto a superb offload by substitute Damien Traille and powering through a midfield gap to ground under the posts.

Yachvili converted and that proved to be the final score as Italy failed to find a cutting edge in the final 10 minutes, despite bossing possession and territory.