Antoine Dupont’s absence was barely felt as Matthieu Jalibert produced loads of magic to assist France punch their ticket for the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals by crushing Italy 60-7 on Friday.
Flyhalf Jalibert’s lightning fast passing and impressed strive lifted Les Bleus to the highest of Pool A with different tries by Damian Penaud (2), Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Peato Mauvaka, Yoram Moefana (2) and Thomas Ramos, who additionally scored 15 factors from the tee.
Fabien Galthie’s group, with out Dupont because the mercurial scrumhalf recovers from cheekbone surgical procedure, gained all their group video games and are more likely to face defending champions South Africa on October 15, even when Ireland and Scotland are nonetheless attainable opponents for a spot within the final 4.
New Zealand, who demolished Uruguay 73-0 on the identical Groupama stadium on Thursday, completed second in Pool A on 15 factors, three behind France.
Italy had an enormous mountain to climb, having misplaced their final 13 matches towards France, who had been on a 17-game successful streak on house soil.
The mountain proved a lot too excessive and, every week after Kieran Crowley’s group suffered a 96-17 humiliation by the All Blacks, they conceded their greatest defeat towards their neighbours.
The halfback pairing of membership companions Maxime Lucu and Jalibert confirmed they had been greater than a alternative choice as they mixed completely all through.
The 58,102 crowd clapped alongside to Italy’s anthem, Fratelli d’Italia, however there was no mercy when the sport began, with Penaud dotting down on his group’s first section of play for his thirty fourth worldwide strive.
Ramos transformed and added a penalty to place the hosts within the driving seat.
Bielle-Biarrey then ghosted previous a few defenders to dive over after Jalibert and Penaud created a chance out of chaos within the Italian 22 metres.
It was then Ramos’s flip to touch down after Penaud’s offload spilled into his hand, leaving the fullback to trot previous the road and convert effortlessly.
France recorded their greatest ever victory over Italy
(PA)
Italy made their first correct foray into French territory within the twenty sixth minute.
In an ironic reference to Italy’s 2006 soccer World Cup marketing campaign, when the Azzurri beat France within the remaining, the stadium performed the Italians’ favoured “White Nation Army” by the White Stripes throughout some uncommon respiration house for the guests.
Italy, nevertheless, bought into their stride earlier than the break, though Simone Ferrari’s strive was dominated out after a TMO evaluation confirmed the prop’s earlier deal with on Maxime Lucu was unlawful.
The hosts added one other strive on the stroke of halftime as Penaud collected a splendid cross-field kick from Jalibert to go over once more to change into the second all-time France strive scorer, three shy of Serge Blanco’s tally of 38.
Jalibert was on the ending finish early within the second half as he finessed his approach over with a dummy and a few sensible side-stepping. Mauvaka scored France’s sixth strive as he bundled over from a maul earlier than Galthie began to ship the replacements in.
One of them, Moefana, added the seventh after being arrange within the nook by Jalibert.
Italy lastly bought on the scoresheet because of Manuel Zuliani’s strive, which Tommaso Allan transformed, however the Azzurri’s slim hopes had been already lengthy gone.
Moefana added a final strive for France and for good measure earlier than the audio system blasted out Gloria Gaynor’s hit “I will Survive” – France’s theme track from their triumphant 1998 soccer World Cup marketing campaign on house soil.
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