How Italy and France shaped up
Saturday's Six Nations opener saw the continental clash of the tournament: les bleus versus l'azzuri, France vs Italy. France, world cup finalists and an imperious force in the Stade de France, triumphed comfortably over the Six Nations perennial bottom feeders, winning the Garibaldi trophy, continental bragging rights and a place at the top of the standings after round one. As we look back on this snowy Monday morning, the weekend's most decisive result was probably the fairest one of the bunch.
By all means though, Italy, a side that has never finished above fourth in their time in the Six Nations, gave a decent account of themselves in the cold of Saint Denis on Saturday. Their front row, much vaunted and highly experienced, troubled a French front three that has dealt favourably with the best in the not too distant past. Martin Castrogiovanni, the monstrous tight head, was at the heart of all things good about Italy in the tight. Sergio Parisse was his usual rumbustious self in the loose, carrying and offloading with a fresh sense of class. There were shades of a burgeoning sense of enterprise too. The whole Italian side looked keener, willing to play and just a touch more aware than in recent years. What they still lack though is that touch of dynamic control behind the scrum. Whilst players like Masi, Burton and McLean are solid, the Italian backline squandered plenty of decent ball and had to settle for penalties and drop goals which when you miss as many tackles as they did (9 in all to france's 3), doesn't win you away games in the Stade de France. Add that to a lack of consistency in selection in playmaking positions over time and you have an ill-established back line who will inevitably struggle to play with fluidity. They will test England (as they will other sides in the tournament) upfront next week in Rome, but if England and the rest achieve parity then I'd expect further Italian defeats, despite this new sense of enterprise.
France themselves, so often an unpredictable dilettantastic entity capable of such enterprising brilliance as well horror within the same 80 minutes, blew the azzuri aside on Saturday without ever really getting out of third gear. Yes, there were flashes of the the Gallic brilliance we've come to appreciate from time to time. Julien Malzieu's try, France's second, was a thing of beauty (and lots of shirked Italian tackles) but such moments were few and far between. Like with England, France are under a new regime lead by former France great and one time Sale head honcho Philippe Saint-André and whilst this means that the Chinese fire drill rotation policy of the Marc Lievremont regime has probably had its day, it should not be forgotten that they too will need time to gel and feel comfortable in their own skins. Some of PSA's men had strong showings. Louis Picamoles, having displaced one of the world cups top performers in Imanol Harinordoquy, had a barnstorming 70 minutes. Clermontois debutant Wesley Fofana too hardly looked out of place and took his try remarkably well, albeit against a tired travelling Italian side with just one all-time 6 Nations away win. What should worry the British teams though is that France made light work of an improved Italian side without really breaking a sweat. The signs of the sheer dog and nous that saw them through to the world cup final in New Zealand were there, but all things considered, there were signs of ring rustiness too. Whilst Ireland, Wales et al will provide France with a tougher test of mettle, the Saint André regime is off to a good start and things will surely only get better for them from here on in.
