Axel May (in Lille), with AFP / Photo credits: David Rogers / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP
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6:46 p.m., February 25, 2024
While the Italians obtained a penalty to go ahead at the last second of the match, the XV of France finally drew against Italy in Lille for the third day of the VI Nations Tournament (13-13).
The French XV conceded a draw at home against Italy 13-13, for the first time in the history of the Six Nations Tournament, Sunday in Lille. The French, reduced to 14 after the exclusion of Jonathan Danty just before the break, could even have lost if Italian fly-half Paolo Garbisi had not missed an easy penalty at the last second.
After their inaugural rout against Ireland (38-17) and the narrow success in Scotland (20-16) two weeks ago, Fabien Galthié’s men put together another worrying performance.
15 days to sort things out before facing Wales
We even have to go back to 1997 and a test match lost 40-32 to find the trace of a defeat by France at home against Italy. Too clumsy, Christophe Galthié’s players only owed their salvation to this last ball from Garbisi, which fell off the tee when he had only ten seconds left to shoot and then hit the post.
Galthié evokes “a difficult”, “painful” moment for France
The coach of the XV of France Fabien Galthié spoke of a “difficult” and “painful” moment regarding the historic draw conceded against Italy during the third day of the VI Nations Tournament in Villeneuve-d’Ascq on Sunday. “It’s a painful moment, we don’t have what we would like, we can’t do what we would like to do,” Fabien Galthié told France 2 after the meeting, calling his team to “become one”.
Captain Charles Ollivon calls on team to ‘question themselves’
The captain of the XV of France Charles Ollivon called on the team to “question themselves” after the draw. “We don’t want to stay with this bitter taste in our mouths,” the third row also declared at a press conference after the match, during which he scored the only French try in the 7th minute. .
The exclusion of center Jonathan Danty (40th) and the exit due to injury of opener Matthieu Jalibert (37th) do not explain everything: the French foiled and missed their match, unable to put their game in place and far too clumsy. Captain Charles Ollivon’s try (7th) was not enough. They now have 15 days to rectify the situation before challenging Wales in Cardiff.