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Welcome to our coverage of the third match in this season's Six Nations with Italy hosting France in the Stadio Olimpico. The last time the two teams met in Italy, it was the Azzurri who came away with perhaps the biggest win in their rugby history.
All the latest Italy and France team news is here with a key battle at No.8 between talismanic skipper Sergio Parisse and Les Bleus' Louis Picamoles.
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| 1 |
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Nigel Owens blows the whistle and we are off in Rome but it is an awful start from fly-half Frederic Michalak, who has been playing at No.9 for Toulon this season, as he boots the kick-off out on the full
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| 2 |
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Italy draw the penalty and Orquera kicks long - they are on France's 22 trying to hammer through the blue wall
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| 3 |
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Italy's attack comes to nothing as Minto attempts an off-load that is snuffled up by the French defender
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| 4 |
5 - 0 |
TRY - What a start from Italy as Orquera darts through the French defence, wings it to Sergio Parisse who out-sprints the scrambling tacklers to dive over the line
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| 5 |
7 - 0 |
Orquera slots the extras from out wide - great start from the Azzurri
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| 6 |
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Castrogiovanni's clearly invigorated by the try and nearly takes off Huget's head with a high tackle
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| 7 |
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Parisse swats away a French lineout on the Italy 5-metre line and the Azzurri take the play back to the half-way line
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| 9 |
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Michalak puts up a sublime arching cross kick which lands right on the Italian try-line. France have the scrum about eight metres out as a result of a knock on
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| 11 |
7 - 5 |
TRY - It is the turn of the French No.8 to get across the whitewash with Louis Picamoles benefiting from some great phase play from his team-mates to stretch out over the line and get the ball down
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| 14 |
10 - 5 |
DROP-GOAL - Orquera makes the right decision to slot the points with little else on - an absolutely belting start to the match
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| 16 |
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Parisse makes some great yards with ball in hand and it leads to France conceding the penalty with Maxime Mermoz offside
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| 17 |
13 - 5 |
PENALTY - Orquera's penalty is good and Italy have a well-deserved eight point lead
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| 20 |
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Michalak charges down Luke McLean's kick and it very nearly bounces for the French fly-half. But at the moment Orquera is out-playing his French opponent.
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| 21 |
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Italy draw the penalty from the scrum and they have the chance to get some territory in the French half
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| 22 |
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Superb from Pape in the lineout as he steals the Italian's ball but credit to Italy - their defence constantly puts the French under pressure and they are panicked into kicking straight back to the opponent
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| 24 |
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France are trying to find some momentum with Fall charging down the wing but some great defence from Masi brings their attack to an abrupt halt
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| 26 |
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Ruthless from France as they transfer a lineout into midfield which leads to Huget carrying the ball over the tryline - we are going up to the TMO. It is far from clear, despite it looking probable that the French scored so we are back to the five-metre scrum
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| 27 |
13 - 8 |
PENALTY - Italy are pinged for being offside but they manage to hold out the French attack. MIchalak opts to kick for the posts and the deficit is cut to five points
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| 32 |
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France are trying to get some sort of phase play together but they are getting increasingly frustrated and end up kicking to touch - Italy will be happy with that
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| 33 |
13 - 15 |
TRY - Great try from France as Huget sprints away from the Italian defence and offloads to Benjamin Fall who canters over the tryline for his third try in French colours
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| 35 |
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Italy attempt to get straight back into the match but despite some promising territory, they push the pace of the game too much and France have the ball back
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| 36 |
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Again Italy make some solid yards - Zanni this time - but he knocks it on, again trying to push the pace of the game
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| 37 |
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It is Fofana's turn now to make a clean break and despite having Ouedraogo on his shoulder, he throws the pass into touch
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| 38 |
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France are back in Italy's 22 with Michalak threading a lovely grubber through which Huget nearly collects
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| 40 |
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Huget boots the ball out and that is half-time. A very enjoyable 40 minutes of rugby
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| 40 |
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We are off in the second-half and a loose kick from Michalak puts France under pressure but in the end, it is Les Bleus who get the lineout
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| 42 |
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Bit of a break in play with Ghiraldini receiving some attention
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| 44 |
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Italy try and carry forward but eventually they give away the penalty - France are on their 22 and can clear long into the Azzurri's half
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| 46 |
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Disappointing kick from Orquera as he tries to force France back but his kick goes out on the full
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| 47 |
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Picamoles sprints away from the Italian defence and over the halfway line but his offload to Ouedraogo goes forward - Italy scrum
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| 48 |
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After a few scrum re-sets it is France who draw the penalty and about 38 metres out, Michalak opts for the kick
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| 49 |
13 - 18 |
PENALTY - two steps from Michalak and he slots the penalty keeping it low
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| 50 |
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France have really upped their tempo in the second-half and quite clearly want to kill this game off sooner rather than later
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| 51 |
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Stupid play from Ghiraldini as he barges into Michalak and the fly-half will have another nudge from about the halfway line but his effort falls under the crossbar
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| 52 |
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Benjamin Kayser comes on for Dimitri Szarzewski. Michalak is now finding his radar and is putting in some lovely kicks in behind the Italian lines
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| 55 |
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There isn't the same intensity as the first-half with both teams opting for tactical kicking rather than carrying. Italy make some changes with Botes, Ghiraldini and Lo Cicero off.
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| 56 |
18 - 18 |
Great run from Machenaud as he eats up the Italian turf and charges about 45 metres. He eventually knocks the ball on giving Italy the chance to counter attack through Parisse. Italy continue making solid yards with Benvenuti coming close to France's line
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| 57 |
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TRY - Unbelievable offload from Orquera to put Martin Castrogiovanni over the tryline - superb try
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| 58 |
20 - 18 |
Superb effort from Orquera to add the extras while Pascal Pape limps off for France
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| 60 |
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Italy have their tales up now and there is a sense of expectation in the stadium
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| 62 |
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Much to the delight of the Italian crowd, France's attempts to get into the Italian half prove to be fruitless and eventually the ball is bundled into touch. A few substitutions now with Cittadini on for Castrogiovanni and Machenaud on for Parra. Bastareaud is also on for Fritz
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| 63 |
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Big call from Brunel as he swaps Orquera, who has been superb, off for Kris Burton. Impressive scrum from Italy and they have a penalty about 48 metres out
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| 64 |
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Nothing happens as a result of the lineout with France given the scrum on their own 22
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| 67 |
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Despite being two points ahead it is Italy who are playing all the rugby and not France who have to chase the game. Italy on France's 22
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| 68 |
23 - 18 |
DROP-GOAL: Great piece of play from the replacement No.10 as he sits back in the pocket and slots the drop-goal in a similar fashion to Orquera in the first-half
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| 70 |
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France are putting in a huge effort to break through the Italian's line but the Azzurri are standing firm. Despite hammering away, there is little pace on the ball and it is easy for Italy to defend
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| 72 |
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France have a lineout in a great position - about 5 metres from Italy's 22 but they are walking there rather than running - Italy seem to have more intensity
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| 73 |
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Sublime play from Italy as Venditti makes a great break and they recycle the ball eventually resulting in an Italy scrum
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| 75 |
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Great scrum from France as they turn it against the head and draw the penalty
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| 77 |
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Italy have the ball in their own half and they are trying to hold on to it rather than kicking in behind the French line
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| 78 |
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France are hammering away at Italy's line and are just five metres out but Italy's defence is standing firm but eventually Les Bleus win the penalty
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| 79 |
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Giazzon sin-binned for Italy and France opt for the scrum
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| 80 |
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And that's it - after some incredible Italian defence they have bundled France into touch. What an incredible win for the Italians.
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