ROME — France is gearing up for its upcoming clash against the unbeaten Six Nations front-runner Ireland, riding high after a monumental victory over Italy, where they triumphed with a stunning score of 73-24 at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
This remarkable win not only surpassed France’s previous highest tally against Italy, which stood at 60 points recorded in both 1967 and 2023, but it also set a new record for their overall scoring in Six Nations history. The French side executed a powerful and focused performance, registering 11 tries, including the bonus-point fourth try that came before the half-hour mark.
After an unexpected defeat to England, France showcased a dominating display that builds anticipation for their upcoming round-four match in Dublin in two weeks. This encounter is likely to be pivotal in determining the overall outcome of the Six Nations title, as previous encounters over the last three years have often been decisive.
Despite struggling with handling errors during their rain-soaked match at Twickenham a fortnight ago, the French exhibited almost flawless execution in Rome, completing 242 passes with only 15 drops and an impressive 28 offloads.
“We managed to maintain our intensity throughout the full 80 minutes, which is no easy feat against such a competitive Italy side,” remarked French captain Antoine Dupont. “We made mistakes when we needed to score against England, but today we were more effective. The upcoming game in Dublin will be massive.”
In an explosive first half, France’s dominance was slightly unexpected, given Italy’s recent improvements, including a 13-13 draw in Lille last year. However, France quickly made their intentions clear from the outset, initiating a penalty that led to a lineout shortly after the first breakdown. Although fullback Leo Barre faced initial resistance, he later found success alongside his team.
The match remained competitive through to halftime, with Italy actually striking first as midfielder Tommaso Menoncello scored a try following a scrum. France responded immediately; lock Mickael Guillard powered through for a try, despite a questionable knock-on by Dupont in the sequence.
Italy briefly surged ahead with a kick from Tommaso Allan, making the score 10-7. However, France quickly regained control, scoring two tries within three minutes from hooker Peato Mauvaka and Dupont backing up wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Italy managed to reduce the deficit with a try from center Juan Ignacio Brex after a swift counterattack, but by halftime, France had established a commanding lead at 35-17 following additional tries from flanker Paul Boudehent and Barre.
The second half began with No. 8 Gregory Alldritt bulldozing over for another try from a lineout ruck, and with Thomas Ramos contributing 16 points with the boot, any hopes of a comeback from Italy were quickly extinguished.
France further solidified their dominance by introducing six forwards after 48 minutes, including flanker Anthony Jelonch, who made his return since the 2023 World Cup. Taking inspiration from South Africa’s strategy, coach Fabien Galthie employed what he termed the “brigade anti-bombes,” utilizing a 7-1 bench configuration that relentlessly drained the tiring Italian side, ultimately leading to five more tries in the final half-hour.
Dupont and Barre each scored twice, while Bielle-Biarrey marked his sixth consecutive test try as Italy struggled defensively, missing 33 tackles throughout the match.
“They capitalized on every tiny mistake we made; they were relentless,” said Italy captain Michele Lamaro. Coach Galthie benefited from having only one reserve back, scrumhalf Maxime Lucu, but such a strategy is unlikely to be effective against Ireland. Key players like backs Damian Penaud, Mathieu Jalibert, and the suspended Romain Ntamack are expected to return in contention.
Meanwhile, Italy will head to England, hoping that injured players prop Danilo Fischetti, flanker Sebastian Negri, and kicker Allan will recover in time for their next challenge.