2023-10-06 23:06:14
The French Italy (60-7).
Published on: 06/10/2023 – 23:06Modified on: 07/10/2023 – 00:01
3 mn
By signing a success marked by the biggest gap in history between the two teams (53 points), the French finished first in their group A, ahead of the All Blacks, beaten 27-13 at the opening of the World Cup.
In the quarter, however, it should be a different story: Fabien Galthié’s Blues, who hope to recover Dupont by then, should indeed challenge the terrible pack of South Africans, reigning world champions. To be sure, the teammates of Thomas Ramos, once again brilliant in front of Italy with twenty points, will have to wait to see the result of Ireland-Scotland, played this Saturday. A Scottish victory at the Stade de France could indeed turn everything upside down in Pool B.
In the meantime, the French provided the essentials, without trembling, by passing eight tries to the Italians, through wingers Damian Penaud (2nd, 38th) and Louis Bielle-Biarrey (13th), fullback Thomas Ramos (22nd) or even opener Matthieu Jalibert (47th), hooker Peato Mauvaka (54th) or center Yoram Moefana (63rd, 75th).
Sheepish record
Penaud, who therefore scored his 34th and 35th international tries for his 47th selection, has even firmly established himself in second place among French try scorers, behind the legend Serge Blanco (38 between 1980 and 1991) and ahead of Vincent Clerc (34 between 2002 and 2013).
In the wake of the second line Cameron Woki, omnipresent (9 tackles, 2 stolen balls in touch), or the pruners Charles Ollivon (12 tackles) and Grégory Alldritt (15 tackles), the Blues delivered a performance full of mastery against the Squadra Azzurra, sluggish and unable to react. Substitute for captain Antoine Dupont, scrum half Maxime Lucu delivered a clean performance, in his less flamboyant style than the superstar. Associated with his usual partner in the Bordeaux-Bègles hinge Matthieu Jalibert, the Gironde No.9 assured his replacement role.
Defensively too, Fabien Galthié’s men did the job, with only six penalties conceded, conceding only one try. In short, the Blues delivered a successful score, much more convincing than their start against the All Blacks (27-13), their sluggish victory against Uruguay (27-12) or the training against Namibia (96- 0).
A week after the disaster against New Zealand (96-17), the Italians have not managed to get their heads above water. Worse, they completely sank against an opponent that the Nazionale had nevertheless held in February (29-24), in Rome, during the Six Nations Tournament. The Squadra Azzurra, third in the group behind the two big names from New Zealand and France, is qualified for the 2027 edition of the World Cup. Until then, new coach Gonzalo Quesada has his work cut out for him.
The French, for their part, had not had their fill in the group stage since the 2003 edition in Australia. At the time, Bernard Laporte’s Blues, with current coach Fabien Galthié as scrum-half and manager Raphaël Ibanez at heel, stopped in the semi-final, beaten by England (24-7 ). Twenty years later, they have other ambitions.
(With AFP)
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