6 NATIONS TEST RUGBY: Italians Travel to Paris

04.02.2012
Italy v France in Paris (6 Nations)

Venue: Stade de France

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Preview
In June last year Italy exposed all the weaknesses and faults in the Lievremont-lead French side. The win was the highlight to date for Italy at the international test rugby level, whilst for France they reached an all-time low.

Just five months later the same French side came within a whisker of causing the major upset of all World Cup rugby history, pushing the All Blacks to within a point. A great high for French rugby.

So that about sums up French test rugby. Hot one minute cold the next. There is a favourite saying among commentators. ‘Which French side will turn up today?

The French go into this match as firm favourites. They have stuck with very much the side that came oh-so-close in the World Cup final in Auckland.

Italy has changed its backline considerably from that which played in the Rugby World Cup. The forward pack is much the same

Italy has never won in Paris against France. In fact before 2000 they rarely played in France, been given France ‘B matches in provincial areas.

New cap for France, African Malian heritage, Wesley Fofana.
Malzieu last played for France v Argentina, June 2010, Belgian born Vincent Debaty v Romania 2006.

New caps for Italy Giovanbattista Venditti.

I’d expect France to win comfortably.

Last Five Encounters
12.03.2011 Italy 22-21 in Rome (6 Nations)
14.03.2010 France 46-20 in Paris (6 Nations)
21.03.2009 France 50-8 in Rome (6 Nations)
09.03.2008 France 25-13 in Paris (6 Nations)
03.02.2007 France 39-3 in Rome (6 Nations)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-France 4th, Italy 12th
Europe Table-France 1st, Italy 6th

IRB Ranking Points
France 84.70, Italy 73.99

Prediction: France by 27 points

Teams

FRANCE

15		Maxime Medard	Toulouse
14		Vincent Clerc	Toulouse
13		Aurelien Rougerie	Clermont Auvergne
12		Wesley Fofana	Clermont Auvergne
11		Julien Malzieu	Clermont Auvergne
10		François Trinh-Duc	Montpellier
9		Dimitri Yachvili	Biarritz
8		Louis Picamoles	Toulouse
7		Julien Bonnaire	Clermont Auvergne
6		Thierry Dusautoir (Capt.)	Toulouse
5		Lionel Nallet	Racing Metro
4		Pascal Pape	Stade Francais
3		Nicolas Mas	Perpignan
2		William Servat	Toulouse
1		Vincent Debaty	Clermont Auvergne
16		Dimitri Szarzewski	Stade Francais
17		Jean-Baptiste Poux	Toulouse
18		Yoann Maestri	Toulouse
19		Imanol Harinordoquy	Biarritz
20		Morgan Parra	Clermont Auvergne
21		Lionel Beauxis	Toulouse
22		Maxime Mermoz	Perpignan
		COACH: P. Saint-Andre

ITALY

15		Andrea Masi	Aironi
14		Giovanbattista Venditti	Aironi
13		Tommaso Benvenuti	Treviso
12		Alberto Sgarbi	Treviso
11		Luke McLean	Treviso
10		Kristopher Burton	Treviso
9		Edoardo Gori	Treviso
8		Sergio Parisse (Capt.)	Stade Francais, France
7		Robert Barbieri	Treviso
6		Alessandro Zanni	Treviso
5		Quintin Geldenhuys	Aironi
4		Cornelius van Zyl	Treviso
3		Martin Castrogiovanni	Leicester Tigers
2		Leonardo Ghiraldini	Treviso
1		Andrea Lo Cicero	Racing Metro, France
16		Tommaso D'Apice	Aironi
17		Lorenzo Cittadini	Treviso
18		Marco Bortolami	Aironi
19		Simone Favaro	Aironi
20		Fabio Semenzato	Treviso
21		Tobias Botes	Treviso
22		Gonzalo Canale	Clermont Auvergne
		COACH: Jacques Brunel