Italy player ratings vs France | 2026 Guinness Men's Six Nations

Italy player ratings: In its 51st game between France and Italy, Les Bleus took the win home, ending the Azzurri’s hopes of securing a memorable result in this year’s Six Nations.

In the opening half, Italy spoiled a few chances to narrow the scoreline, with several handling and possession errors allowing France to escape unpunished.

Ange Capuozzo scored a try that almost came from nothing and was one of the few Italians to fight bravely against the French tide. The Cannone brothers, seconded by the centre pairing, were Italy’s best performers in a game that arguably merited a closer final score.

1. Danilo Fischetti – 7
Danilo Fischetti’s main area of impact came at scrum time, where he squeezed out a couple of penalties, the first giving Paolo Garbisi the chance to collect three straightforward points. The Northampton Saints prop stood his ground like an immovable block, knocking down a few ball carriers and winning the gain line 90 per cent of the time.

2. Giacomo Nicotera – 4
A nightmarish opening half for the experienced hooker. He missed four lineout throws, one of which ultimately ended with Thomas Ramos celebrating his eighth international try. He seemed exhausted from the get go, failing to make an impact when called to carry.

3. Simone Ferrari – 4
Contrary to Fischetti, Ferrari had a tough time against Jean-Baptiste Gros and Rodrigue Neti, crumbling twice and looking far from his best. The experienced prop didn’t make any obvious mistakes in open play, but his scrum work was problematic, especially when Italy were trying to find a way inside the French 22.

4. Niccolò Cannone – 7
The Benetton enforcer tried to tidy up Nicotera’s lineout issues, giving his all for the Italian cause. Subbed off with 25 minutes left, Cannone’s work rate was immense, the lock completing nine tackles and ensuring no French player escaped his grasp.

5. Andrea Zambonin – 6
Less involved than his lock partner, Zambonin came off at the same time as Cannone, with most of his work linked to the breakdown and ruck, making his performance less visible. However, his effort in those two areas gave Italy a fighting chance to fend off a French side keen to put on a show.

6. Michele Lamaro – 6
Leadership was not the issue, as Michele Lamaro tried to rally his team towards something special. From an individual standpoint, however, he struggled to find his footing, with France quickly clearing the breakdown to deny him jackal opportunities.

7. Manuel Zuliani – 6
A sensational interception in the eighth minute rescued Italy from a dire situation and flipped territory deep into the French 22. Zuliani had a game of two halves, fired up in the opening 40 minutes before fading in the closing stages. He continued to battle even as fatigue set in.

8. Lorenzo Cannone – 7
Committed to the Italian ambition of pulling off an upset, Cannone worked tirelessly to give his side a chance of leaving Lyon with a win, putting up a strong fight on the contact line and sacrificing his body time and again. He completed two breakdown steals and four dominant tackles, underlining a relentless mindset even when France controlled territory.

9. Alessandro Fusco – 5
It was far from a good day for the Zebre scrum half, as Fusco was caught in a web of mistakes, with his passing lacking the dynamism required to counter France’s flair and aggression. He was outplayed by Antoine Dupont and looked uneasy around the ruck, which only made things tougher for Italy.

10. Paolo Garbisi – 5
With Italy leaving the Stade Pierre Mauroy on the losing side, Garbisi was tireless in searching for the right attacking combinations to guide his team into more promising territory, but the fly-half ultimately fell short. His kicking game offered little variation, making it easier for France to predict what the Azzurri would do next. The RC Toulon utility back led the Italian backs in tackles, but that did not mask an underwhelming display.

11. Monty Ioane – 4
Four missed tackles, an off day in the aerial contest and easily shut down by the French defence. The experienced outside back looked a fish out of water in a match where little came his way, leaving the pitch midway through the second half with nothing to show for it.

12. Leonardo Marin – 7
While Menoncello was Italy’s prime line breaker, Marin’s pace provided a lifeline for the 23-year-old. Tireless in his movement from left to right, he hunted French ball carriers on the verge of a break and put out most of the fires. He was key in forcing a handling error from his opposite centre, rushing the line at the right time.

13. Tommaso Menoncello – 6
He started slowly but picked up the pace mid-first half, landing several key tackles to stop the French backline from exerting their flair and unpredictability while showcasing the physicality that can unlock even the tightest of defences. Despite a few defensive errors, his work rate and determination narrowed France’s attacking options.

14. Louis Lynagh – 5
More involved than Ioane, Lynagh looked intent on testing the French defence, rushing in and helping to set up a more ambitious attacking platform. He contested France’s high kicks well, gathering five from seven. However, his yellow card came at the worst possible time and opened the door for France to confirm the win.

15. Ange Capuozzo – 7
A game of fine margins for Capuozzo, who hovered between the best and worst Italy had to offer. His try came from his own crosskick, allowing the Azzurri to find themselves inside the French 22 for the fourth time before grounding a fumble to spark belief. He failed to stop Thomas Ramos for one score, but without Capuozzo and Lynagh, Gailleton would have crossed moments earlier.

REPLACEMENTS

16. Pablo Dimcheff – 6
More energised than Nicotera, Dimcheff was a fierce tackler, putting down eight ball carriers. He missed one lineout throw from four attempts.

17. Mirco Spagnolo – 7
An impressive shift, as the prop picked up from where Fischetti had left off, winning a couple of scrum penalties and making seven tackles. Italy’s most effective bench option.

18. Giosuè Zilocchi – 6
Solid at scrum time, with the tighthead delivering a better overall performance than Ferrari.

19. Federico Ruzza – 5
The experienced lock failed to match Cannone’s influence, struggled to contest the French lineout and spilled the ball twice in a lacklustre half hour.

20. Riccardo Favretto – 5
Along similar lines to Ruzza, Favretto finished with two missed tackles and looked slow in support.

21. David Odiase – N/A
Introduced with eight minutes remaining and had little time to influence proceedings.

22. Alessandro Garbisi – 5
Injected more tempo around the ruck, but it was never enough to spark a comeback.

23. Paolo Odogwu – 5
Made a strong carry and gained 25 running metres in under 20 minutes, but was also driven back heavily by Neti.