Players sink to the pitch at the end of the Six Nations rugby union international between France and Italy at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq. Photo / AP Photos
Players sink to the pitch at the end of the Six Nations rugby union international between France and Italy at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq. Photo / AP Photos
Italy first five eighth Paolo Garbisi hit the post with a last-gasp penalty to let 14-man France off the hook in a tense 13-13 draw in the Six Nations on Sunday.
Garbisi had the chance to give Italy the biggest win in its history and its first away to France in the Six Nations.
The kick was barely more than 30 meters out and only slightly to the left. But the ball wobbled on the tee, and was put back in place.
Garbisi hurried his kick and sent it too wide as it clipped the right upright with one second left on the kick. Garbisi held his head in his hands as a chance at making Italian rugby history escaped him.
“I should have been up to the task of doing this job, I didn’t do it well enough in this moment,” Garbisi said on French television. “I didn’t do (my job) properly. That’s why I would like to say sorry to my teammates and my country.”
Players sink to the pitch at the end of the Six Nations rugby union international between France and Italy at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq. Photo / AP Photos
Italy has beaten France twice at home in the Six Nations, both times in Rome, but never won in France. Italy’s only win on French soil came during a one-off test in 1997 that was not during any competition.
The draw will do wonders for Italy’s confidence, especially after a 36-0 loss to Ireland in the previous round, but Garbisi is not thinking that way.
“Of course it’s a good result, but winning is better and we could have done,” he said. “I take the responsibility and it will stay in my mind for a while.”
Fullback Ange Capuozzo’s converted late try drew Italy level at 13-13 with 10 minutes left and cranked up the pressure on a France side which had center Jonathan Danty red-carded for a dangerous upright head-on-head tackle on center Juan Ignacio Brex near the end of the first half.
The French were only 10-3 up at halftime and came back out without Danty and first five eighth Matthieu Jalibert, who went off late in the first half with a right knee injury.
The performance will do little to ease the pressure on heavily criticized coach Fabien Galthié. France is fourth in the standings with Wales away and England at home to come.
“I can’t explain what went wrong, and it’s better if I don’t speak because I might say something stupid,” France replacement hooker Julien Marchand said.
Italy’s second penalty of the game, from Garbisi after Marchand had infringed, made it a six-point game with 20 minutes left. With the French line increasingly stretched, the Italians carved through the midfield.
Right winger Tommaso Menoncello flicked the ball up despite being grounded, the move continued and replacement first five eighth Leonardo Marin offloaded brilliantly to Capuozzo and he touched down in the left corner. Garbisi converted, only to miss the biggest kick of his career.
Home fans at Stade Pierre Mauroy had reason to be nervous after a 38-17 loss to Ireland and a controversial 20-16 win in Scotland.
An early France try from flanker Charles Ollivon after seven minutes was not a sign of things to come, either, as Italy held firm despite being dominated in the pack, with captain Michele Lamaro tackling prolifically at flanker.
Ollivon skippered in the absence of the injured Grégory Alldritt, and he burrowed over for his 16th international try after taking Cameron Woki’s offload right on the line.
The try was awarded after TMO ruled out a knock on, and Alldritt showed his team spirit by bringing the tee for Thomas Ramos’ conversion and his next penalties.
Despite dominating most of the first half, Les Tricolores showed sloppy handling during their attacking phases.
“We should have scored three or four tries in the first half,” France center Gaël Fickou said. “It’s frustrating when we lose the ball, we’re going to have to work on that.”
Jalibert went down injured late in the first half following a late tackle. He tried to continue but was then helped off the field, with utility back Yoram Moefana coming on to the left wing, Ramos switching to first five eighth, and left winger Matthis Lebel swapping in for Ramos at fullback.
Right on the halftime buzzer, Danty was sin-binned and first five eighth Martin Page-Relo slotted over from 50 meters to bring Italy to within seven points at the interval, and with a bunker review upgrading Danty’s card to red.
Ramos calmed the nerves with a penalty early in the second half to restore the 10-point gap, but Italy almost scored a try moments later when Menoncello just failed to reach Page-Relo’s kick behind the defense.
