Six Nations

Rugby, for Italia, regrets and confirmations: at home to France it falls 33-8

In Lille, the match was more balanced than the scoreline suggests. The Azzurri paid the price for the numerical inferiority at the end

by Giacomo Bagnasco

22 February 2026

France's Emilien Gailleton breaks away from Italy's players during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Italy in Lille, France, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

A little more balanced than the scoreline suggests, this match between France and Italia. But numbers are numbers: in Lille it ended 33-8, with five tries to one for the transalpines, for the moment dominators of the Six Nations 2026.

In fact, the gap widened considerably in the last 10 minutes, when the Azzurri (this afternoon in the 'Garibaldi red' jersey) were left in a numerical inferiority for a yellow card to Lynagh. In a flash the hosts scored the fourth try (thus gaining the extra point in the standings) and then the fifth. In short, the 19-8 with which the first half had ended lasted for half an hour in the second half and then expanded to the final 25 points.

For Italia, physical fitness confirmed

Italia ended the match with regrets for some unsatisfactory aspects, but also with some confirmations, such as the physical tightness (as long as it was an even match) and a closed scrum that once again, both with the starters and with the players taking over, was able to put the opponent in difficulty and win some punishments. Congratulations, in particular, to the two front lines that took turns: well done Ferrari-Nicotera-Fischetti and also Zilocchi-Dimcheff-Spagnolo.

Also of note on this occasion were the good statistics regarding discipline, with only five penalties whistled against us by referee Brace, compared to the seven with which the hosts were sanctioned.

What didn't work

So what didn't work? Basically three things. In the lineouts we conceded too much (five touches lost on our throws and only one stolen from the transalpines), in attack we thwarted several chances, most of the time for details that could have made the difference, and then, also 'in the bad', a confirmation: on the aerial battles for the conquest of balls kicked upwards we are always seriously deficient.

Having said that, France (who on the eve of the match had to give up Jalibert, replaced by Ramos at opening halfback, with Attissogbé playing fullback) did not play the perfect game, but they are indeed a great team. In the first half they took a 19-0 lead by scoring three tries in the opening 30 minutes: game vision, the ability to turn situations around and exploit them at a moment's notice, technical ability and physicality alternated. Among other things, Dupont, the unmatched scrum-half, and his teammates were also very 'elusive' if you consider that the number of attempted tackles by the two teams was essentially equal (126-125), but the Bleus only missed 12 and Italia 39.

The first goal, after only four minutes, was the result of a stroke of genius. Italia was in the opponent's half, a ball squirted towards Dupont who framed the left corner of our defence with a follow kick from 50 metres. The Bielle-Biarrey winger confirmed himself as an exceptional sprinter and brought to four the number of 'heavy' scores during the tournament.

Ten minutes passed and the weight marking arrived. In the sense that after a series of attempts by the home attackers, intercepted by the defence, the final break came from the charge of Emmanuel Meafou, a giant over two metres tall and weighing 145 kilos. And on the half-hour mark France made it three with another lightning-fast turnaround: the break was scored by Gailleton and, after a struggling Italia opposition, it was Ramos who scored.

We began to grow with the scrum and scored our eight points in as many minutes, before the interval. From a stolen ball Menoncello took off with power and speed: the three-quarter-centre hit a low kick that put the hosts' defence in crisis: first Ramos and then Attissogbé failed to control and Capuozzo was the first to arrive on the loose ball and he deposited in the goal. Paolo Garbisi converted and before the end of the period, on a free kick conceded for a foul in a closed scrum, added another three points.

The second half

We go to the break on 19-8 and in the second half the score remains tied for half an hour. In the last 10 minutes, however, we remain with a man down and we also pay for fatigue. At a certain point, due to a misunderstanding, we even played a few seconds with 13 men because Capuozzo was injured, and a cross from Ramos found newcomer Drean alone on the wing: for him his debut in the national team with a goal. There was still time to see Gailleton cross the fatal line after a long play. Italia closed in on the attack, insisting but not breaking through. Now a week of rest and then England, so far the big disappointment of this Six Nations, arrive in Rome.

The match

France Italia 33-8 (first half 19-8)

For France: 5 tries (Bielle-Biarrey in 4', Meafou in 14', Ramos in 29', Drean in 71', Gailleton in 77'), 4 transformations (Ramos in 4', 29', 71' and 77'). For Italia: 1 try (Capuozzo in 32'), 1 spot kick (P. Garbisi in 39'). Yellow card to Lynagh in the 71'. Kicks between the posts: Ramos 3 for 4; Garbisi 1 for 2

The Six Nations 2026

First round. France-Ireland 36-14; Italia-Scotland 18-15, England-Wales 48-7.

Second round. Ireland-Italy 20-13; Scotland-England 31-20; Wales-France 12-54

Third round. England-Ireland 21-42; Wales-Scotland 23-26; France-Italy 33-8

Round 4. Friday 6 March: Ireland-Wales (9.10pm). Saturday 7: Scotland-France (3.10pm); Italia-England (5.40pm)

Round 5. Saturday, 14 March: Ireland-Scotland (3.10pm); Wales-Italy (5.40pm); France-England (9.10pm)

Ranking* after the third round

France 15 points; Scotland 11; Ireland 9; England and Italia 5; Wales 1

* Four points for a win, two for a draw, a bonus point to the team that scores at least four goals and to the team that loses by less than eight points