France keep title hopes alive

Les Bleus needed a victory to avoid relinquishing the crown they have held for the past two years to unbeaten Wales and, despite not firing on all cylinders, they did what they had to.

Anthony Floch, starting for the first time for his country, went over for their only try of the first half, with Yannick Jauzion and Aurelien Rougerie adding others after the break.

Dimitri Yachvili was impressive on his return to the Test arena after a year in the wilderness, the Biarritz scrum-half kicking 10 points via two penalties and two conversions. France will need to post a massive win at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday to keep hold of their title.

France had the better of the early possession, and produced a well-worked try in the 13th minute to open the scoring. A rolling maul saw them gain 30 metres and when the ball was eventually recycled out, fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc sent a crossfield kick to the left corner where Julien Malzieu patted the ball down to Floch, who dived over from close range.

Yachvili booted the conversion but Andrea Marcato punished Louis Picamoles for a nonsensical offside with a 40-yard penalty to make it 7-3 moments later and Yachvili also slotted over a penalty after the recalled Jauzion was taken out off the ball.

Marcato and Yachvili swapped penalties in the last 10 minutes of the first half as the game remained close, but France looked to have got a vital score in the 52nd minute when Jauzion went over in the left corner. Yachvili chipped a kick over the top of a static defence and Toulouse star Jauzion was quickest to pounce and collect a friendly bounce to plunder over.

Italy turned down a kick at goal in the 57th minute in favour of an attacking line-out and the ploy worked a treat. The throw was taken and Martin Castrogiovanni, a try-scorer against Wales a fortnight ago, was at the base of an unstoppable rolling maul to dive over in the right corner. Marcato converted but France were not to be undone.

They were denied a try on the hour mark when video replays confirmed Rougerie was held up over the line following a stunning tackle by Mirco Bergamasco. But the winger got his own back in the 64th minute, running onto a superb offload by substitute Damien Traille and powering through a midfield gap to ground under the posts.

Yachvili converted and that proved to be the final score as Italy failed to find a cutting edge in the final 10 minutes, despite bossing possession and territory.