France overpower Italy to maintain Grand Slam hopes
France moved to within a point of England at the top of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2024 standings with a comfortable 38-15 defeat of Italy at Stade Jean Bouin.
Les Bleues had been profligate in their second round defeat of Scotland – scoring 15 points from as many visits to their opponents’ 22 – but they wrapped up a try bonus-point by half-time in Paris on Sunday and remain in the hunt for the Grand Slam.
Nassira Konde, Annaëlle Deshaye, Charlotte Escudero and Melissande Llorens each breached the Italian line in the first half, while player of the match Assia Khalfaoui and Madoussou Fall crossed the whitewash after the break.
Italy’s contribution to the scoreboard came via a first-half Beatrice Rigoni penalty and an impressive brace of tries from Allysa D’Inca in the second before referee Joy Neville blew her whistle for the final time in international rugby.
The Azzurre had never beaten Les Bleues in France ahead of kick off, and the story that unfolded in the Parisian sunshine was similar to those that have played out over the past 38 years.
Les Bleues needed less than two minutes to open the scoring as Konde finished off a fine French team move that was given impetus by a delicious chip ahead by Lina Queyroi.
The fly-half added the extras and France came within a successful pass of extending their lead soon afterwards, but Pauline Bourdon Sansus could not hold on to Escudero’s offload metres from the try line.
Italy appeared to be galvanised by that let off, though, and spent much of the next 15 minutes camped inside the French half.
However, a mix of handling errors and relentless home defence – particularly at the breakdown – meant they only had Rigoni’s 21st-minute penalty to show for all their possession and territory. And they would be made to pay for their profligacy before the half was over.
Within two minutes of Rigoni cutting her side’s arrears, France prop Deshaye had taken a pass from front-row colleague Khalfaoui and powered her way to the line from just outside the 22.
Queyroi converted again before the momentum swung decisively in the hosts’ favour with a little over 10 minutes of the first half remaining; Sara Tounesi shown a yellow card for bringing down a French maul illegally.
From the resulting lineout, Les Bleues set the move in motion that would end with Escudero diving gleefully over the line.
And France wrapped up a try bonus-point before the half-time whistle sounded, ruthlessly punishing an Italian overthrow as Melissande Llorens leapt to collect a pinpoint Queyroi crossfield kick and touch down in the left corner.
Queyroi missed the touchline conversion to leave the score 26-3 at the break, but it took the hosts less than four second-half minutes to extend their advantage further.
Khalfaoui burrowed over from close range and following a TMO check, Les Bleues’ fifth try of the afternoon at Stade Jean Bouin was awarded.
The carnival atmosphere in western Paris was pricked slightly in the 55th minute when D’Inca came off her wing and took a scoring pass from Rigoni, who then converted.
Any notion of a comeback was extinguished eight minutes later, though, as Fall benefitted from a well-oiled French lineout move, and some suspect Italian tackling, to score France’s sixth try.
There was still time for D’Inca to score the try of the afternoon as she tiptoed her way down the left wing from distance. But the result had long since been decided and France can look ahead to matches against Wales and England knowing that a first Six Nations title in six years is still within their grasp.
Comments on RugbyPass
Poetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
2 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
2 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
87 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
87 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
87 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
87 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
87 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
87 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
87 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
87 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
87 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
87 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
87 Go to comments