It’s a slow burn, rather than an eruption, but the sneaking suspicion among rugby circles that France are beginning to thaw out into contenders at this World Cup, after their recent years of frigidity, is gaining credibility. Let us not make extravagant claims just yet, but this victory over fully fledged, tier-one opposition, albeit in the doldrums themselves, was comprehensive. At least as much so as the scoreline suggests. More so, certainly, than a mere two tries to one does.
And two tries by tighthead props, at that – Nicolas Mas with a late try to match that of Rabah Slimani. The latter’s, in particular, was a thing of beauty. Not since that 1999 semi-final that needs no introduction can Twickenham have resounded so raucously with French anthems. But there was a price to pay. Yoann Huget’s World Cup is over, the winger suffering a cruciate ligament injury in the second half. It was a sickening night for Italy, too, on the injury front. Their resources at centre, already diminished by the loss of Luca Morisi, were further depleted by the loss of Andrea Masi in the first half with a ruptured achilles tendon that will end his World Cup, and maybe his career.
For Italy, this was a horrible night, whistled out of the game in the first half and unable to claw their way back in the second. A 15-3 deficit at the break, courtesy of those relentless penalties, took them out of a game they never threatened to control, for all the industry of Leonardo Ghiraldini and his lieutenants.
They had the hardest act to follow since William Webb Ellis did his thing in 1823. From the sun-kissed frolics in Brighton that will live with us for ever to something altogether darker, more Six Nations. Contests between these two have tended to disappoint in recent years, this year’s instalment in Rome ranking as one of the worst games ever seen. No such levels were plumbed here, thankfully, due largely to signs that France are trying, at least, to come alive. Their scrum is in full working order. Early signs were positive in the warm-up games against England, and here Italy’s extravagantly capped front row could find no joy against the French machine. Three times in the first half they coughed up penalties within range – the first two were clattered against the post by Frédéric Michalak, the third converted from 55 metres on the angle by Scott Spedding.
That successful shot, along with four others by Michalak, were responsible for that half-time lead. The Azzurri conceded 11 penalties in the first half. It was a minor miracle they weren’t worse off, saved the concession of a try by another of the TMO comedies that are blighting this World Cup.
France, thriving off the back of their set piece, were swift to target Italy’s defence out wide, the ball conveyed swiftly and crisply to the outside channel again and again. This time, in the 10th minute, Alexandre Dumoulin was the first to find joy, breaking Italy’s line. When the ball was worked right, Louis Picamoles, truly in the finest of form, worked the ball round the back of Leonardo Sarto. The ball bounced off Sarto’s back and appeared to be touched down by Noa Nakaitaci.
The referee referred the pass to the TMO, who found that no infringement had occurred, so the try was awarded. Just before the conversion, though, the crowd’s reaction to the replay on the big screen alerted the referee to further doubts, and he referred the try for a second time. The French might have pleaded some sort of double-jeopardy defence, but it was clear on the replayed replay that Nakaitaci had dropped the ball as he went to touch down. Somehow that little detail had been missed during the first inquest.
No try, but France were offered the compensation of a penalty, which Michalak converted, his second, and by the half-hour he had slotted his third. Afterwards, Ghiraldini and his coach, Jacques Brunel, bemoaned a seemingly endless stream of penalties awarded against the Italians at the scrum. By half-time, their cause was all but hopeless.
Ten minutes into the second half, it was gone. Nakataici redeemed himself with a wonderful run down the left to send Guilhem Guirado charging for the line. He was stopped inches short, but Michalak’s little dink behind the defence was collected by Rabah Slimani for the game’s first try. Following a fifth Michalak penalty at the start of the half, France were 25-3 clear.
Hopeless though their situation looked, Italy responded almost immediately. Edoardi Gori thought he had scored one of the uglier tries in history, but the TMO spotted a knock-on in the scramble. No matter, after another charge by Ghiraldini, David Venditti was worked over on the right.
France re-established control for the next 20 minutes, despite the loss of Huget, and their efforts reached a pitch when Mas crashed through to the base of the post, against which he squeezed the ball, for France’s second.
There were 10 minutes remaining for them to register the two further tries they required for the bonus point. It proved beyond them, Italy actually coming closer in the final knockings. But France’s improvement continues in a stately fashion. Not enough to make the world quake but enough to keep them in the picture. And we all know what can happen for as long as France remain in that.
