Italy vs France LIVE rugby: Six Nations 2023 result and reaction as Italy narrowly miss out on famous win

Penalty advantage coming for France as Damian Penaud goes off on one of his meanders, like a country rambler with a faulty compass, hither and thither and eventually vaguely in the right direction. Anthony Jelonch and Charles Ollivon combine out wide but France run out of options, and a knock on means back for the penalty they’ll have to come.

Thomas Ramos will have a go at goal.

Pierre Bruno this time provides useful occupation of the backfield after Romain Ntamack stabs a grubber towards the corner. But Italy can’t really get out - another shallow-ish kick and France can build from a lineout inside the Italy half.

Good covering from Stephen Varney! It’s really smart from France, playing their game of close-in carriers and winning consistent collisions before spreading the ball wide when the chance appears. Antoine Dupont fizzes a delectable pass to Damian Penaud, who chips beyond Varney.

The scrum half turns as Penaud drops ball to boot and thus is already in hasty retreat as Penaud begins his sprint. Varney dots down in his own in-goal and Italy can clear from a goalline drop out.

There’s no immediate tempering of the Italian strategy, exploring attacking opportunities from the kick off before deciding that a more conventional exit might, actually, be wise. It’s not the best clearance - France will have a lineout 25 metres out.

Michele Lamaro gathers the Italian squad in a huddle as they wait for their opponents to re-emerge, a focussed look around the ring. Can they remain in touch?

France get things back underway.

France probably just need to stick to their processes slightly more, and perhaps be slightly more selective on which breakdowns to contest. Matthew Carley has been hot on French players off their feet at the ruck, and if Italy continue to play so extravagantly after the half-time oranges, the hosts’ errors will continue to grant opportunities without undue need to earn turnover ball.

A compelling, fascinating and slightly perplexing half of rugby. Italy’s plan has clearly been to play as much as possible, limiting France’s opportunities to counter-attack or build kick pressure - and it’s a strategy that has brought mixed returns. In the first 20 minutes, the hosts wouldn’t stop coughing up the ball, allowing France into the game rather easily. A charge down score from Thibaud Flament put the defending champions ahead before Romain Ntamack’s dainty dinks enabled two of his back three to go over in the corner.

But Italy have caused plenty of problems for the French defence with their varied attacking play, and Ange Capuozzo’s superb scamper into the corner was just reward for their efforts.

Safely popped through by Tommaso Allan - the margin is five points at the half.

But Italy regather and reload and earn a penalty right in front of the posts. Take the three, surely? Italian captain Michele Lamaro indicates as much as French counterpart Antoine Dupont is warned about his team’s discipline.