Defending champs France kicked off their Six Nations campaign with a narrow bonus-point victory over Italy in Rome on Sunday.
Tries from Thibaud Flament, Thomas Ramos, Ethan Dumortier and Matthieu Jalibert were required to secure a 29-24 victory in a cracker of a game that had it all.
The Italians showed a lot of guts and courage, refusing to go down without a fight. They were determined to throw the ball around, often to their detriment, but were able to cross the line through fullback Ange Capuozzo while also being awarded a penalty try.
That @CapuozzoAnge try ?#ITAvFRA #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/VAGpyO1tQp
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 5, 2023
Flament opened the scoring, crossing the whitewash to punish Italy for an error. France replied when flyhalf Romain Ntamack put a crosskick into the corner, Capuozzo knocked on, and Ramos svored the easiest of tries.
For the hosts, two penalties from flyhalf Tommaso Allen was all they had to show for the first quarter which ended with Italy trailing 12-6.
Minutes later Ntamack put through another cross-kick, this time winger Dumortier made no mistake as he gathered to canter under the poles.
Tries raining down in Rome in the first half as rising star Ethan Dumortier catches hold of Romain Ntamack’s kick to score on debut!#ITAvFRA | @FranceRugby pic.twitter.com/IdfIDekhQm
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 5, 2023
Italy bounced back shortly after through Capuozzo who just managed to ground the ball in the corner after some fancy footwork, and Allen added an extra three on the hooter heading into the break with France leading 19-14.
In the third quarter, Ramos added a penalty before the Italians were awarded a penalty try after flanker Charles Ollivon was sent to the sin bin for collapsing a maul.
Italy went into the final 20 trailing by a single point, setting up a grandstand finish when they took the lead for the first time through another penalty from Allen.
Tommaso Allan gives @Federugby the lead for the first time in the match with his penalty kick on the hour! #GuinnessSixNations | #ITAvFRA pic.twitter.com/c27cqUTFd7
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 5, 2023
As Italy began to believe they could achieve a major upset, Les Bleus displayed their class as replacement flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert went over after some superb handling to secure a narrow victory.
Has Matthieu Jalibert's try snatched victory back from the jaws of defeat for @FranceRugby? #ITAvFRA | #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/iqenREIiCm
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 5, 2023
France will now turn their attention to top-ranked Ireland when they travel to Dublin next week while Italy will look to bounce back against England at Twickenham.
Photo: Twitter/@WorldRugby