Key events
âOne centimetre from historyâ
Sport can be so cruel.
Were Italy robbed?
Our reader Tomas Thronicker points out the laws of the game werenât followed:
âLaw 8.22, If the kicker indicates to the referee the intent to kick at goal, the opposing team must stand still with their hands by their sides from the time the kicker starts to approach to kick until the ball is kicked.â
That never happened. Sadly the officials got that wrong I feel.
Hereâs Vintcent:
It was gutting to see it hit the post. But I donât think that takes away from the performance.
We just said that weâre blowing but theyâre blowing just as hard. If we could stick in the fight and go 80 minutes weâd be in with a chance.
Iâm very grateful to be playing in front of this many people.
The boys showed a lot of heart. There is something brewing here for sure.
Adam Roberts has a longer memory than me:
âReminds me of Don Fox, 1968 Challenge Cup Final and Eddie Waring âHeâs a poor ladââ
Canât say I know that one. But Iâm sure no one who watched this Garbisi miss will forget it either.
How did the ball fall off the tee? That was under a closed roof. There was no wind. Have you got your tinfoil hats ready? Red strings prepped for a criss-crossing conspiracy board? Something ainât right.
Weâll be hearing a lot about that last kick in the coming weeks.
France were their own worst enemeies and Danty will have a lot of explaining to do.
Reader Andy Flintoff has a question Iâm sure weâd all like an answer to:
âI donât get why so many professional players are being pinged (and carded) for high tackles and head-to-head (or shoulder-to-head) contact – itâs almost the first thing that a rugby playing kid gets taught when contact is introduced. Are professionals forgetting or are they being deliberately coached to hit higher?â
No excuse, Andy. Which is why referees and TMOs are coming down hard on those who get it wrong and put others at risk.
Try doing a live blog, Charlie.
Did France charge down the penalty?
Tell you what, now that I think back I think they did send players to rush forward. Should the referee have restarted the shot clock even after the ball fell off the tee? To be honest Iâm at a loss. Any refs out there?
Iâm reeling. I just canât imagine what Garbisi is going through. What any of those Italian players are going through. The one saving grace is that Garbisi didnât just miss. He missed largely as a result of the ball falling off the tee. Still, that was a major opportunity to create history and become the first Italian team to win in France. It does, though, end a 14-game losing streak against their neighbours.
How cruel is that? If the ball hadnât fallen off the tee I have almost no doubt that Garbisi would have slotted that. How unfortunate. Italy deserved a win. Menoncello gets the player of the match but it could have gone to one of several Italians. Oh my goodness. What a finish.
FULL-TIME: France 13-13 Italy
Garbisi hits the post! The ball fell off the tee which meant he had to dash to put it back on and then rush his kick. He never looked set and hooked it as it struck the post. I canât believe it!!!
Itâs about 25 metres out just on the angle. France had no choice but to run it and that gave Italy the chance to step in and steal the ball on the ground. Weâre on the edge of historyâ¦
80+ min: ITALY HAVE WON A PENALTY WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE!
80 min: France win the line-out and will have one more shot. Down the line. Lebel smothered as he carries. France set again. Meaty carries through the midfield. A floated ball from Ramos to the right wing. Varney does well to wrap up Penaud. Last chance saloon now.
78 min: Italy steal it back. Theyâre deep in their own half and consider running it. Garbisi chooses to kick and gets a great bounce that puts the ball out 20 metres into French territory. France â again â gave away the ball on the attack. Two years ago this was the best team on the planet. What has happened to them?
76 min: [Insert Italian curse words]. What a time to lose your first line-out of the match. France have it back and are back into Italyâs half.
75 min: France knock-on in the tackle as an aimless attack meanders down the line. Italy think about running from deep but Ioane kicks. France run from deep with Lebel getting the ball. Italyâs defence floods forward and they force a spilled ball. They have the feed on the left with a huge gap in Franceâs midfield. Never mind that. Theyâve won a scrum penalty! Outstanding shove. Do they take a shot at goal? Nope, theyâve kicked it out and will take the line-out inside French territory.
72 min: France need to catch a wake-up real fast. Ramos dinks a cross-kick to the left wing and he finds his man. France build around halfway but Italyâs defence is keeping them there. Ramos floats a lovely pass to Penaud who steps a man, chips and forces Capuozzo to catch under pressure. Garbisi has it and is tackled as he tries to kick so knocks on. French scrum just outside Italyâs 22 on the right flank.
TRY! France 13-13 Italy (Capuozzo, 70)
Theyâve got it! It started with a scrum in their own 22 and they rampaged forward from first phase and breezed past Ramos at 10. recycling, click hands, swift passing and the final off-load after the last defender from Marin found his fullback who dived over to score. Garbisi converts from the touchline and weâre level!
70 min: In a flash Italy have gone fron their own 22 to Franceâs. Varney is everywhere but the entire backline has sparked into life. Brex, Ioane, Garbisi. Theyâre close. Their forwards are charging. Thereâs space out to the leftâ¦
68 min: France win the line-out from their penalty and set a rumbling maul. It makes good ground but the ball stays with the heavies up front and Italy manage to make it unplayable so win the scrum. Great maul defence there after being marched backwards.
67 min: AAAAAAAH! Anyone got any good swear words in Italian? They give away a scrum penalty just as theyâd set what looked like a promising attacking platform. Flatman isnât sure that was the right call.
66 min: All Italy right now with Varney and Garbisi keeping the ball moving. Menoncello again carries well. As does Ioane who stepped off his left foot and unfurled an off-load in the tackle. Le Garrec rushed up to intercept after Italy strung together a neat wraparound move down the line, but he couldnât gather so Italy will have the scrum 10 metres into French territory and bang in front of the poles. Pods of two men stationed on either side of the scrum. This could be interesting if they get clean ball.
64 min: Italy go short at the line-out and Capuozzo steps Fickou and finds Ioane in his inside. Italy are trucking forward. Menoncello comes off his wing and finds space but thereâs a soft knock-on at the back of the ruck so France have the scrum inside their 22.
63 min: France give away another penalty on the ground. âPoor concentration and poor disciplineâ says Flatman. Heâs right. Theyâve beeb dreadful in that department.
PENALTY! France 13-6 Italy (Garbisi, 62)
The gap closes to seven. Italy gaining confidence. I reckon theyâre starting to believe.
60 min: Penalty against Marchand for losing his body weight at the ruck. Itâs on Franceâs 22 and bang in front so Garbisi will take the easy three. More control with the ball from Italy. There was a bit of innovation as an Italian pretended to grab the ball from the back of a maul and charge to the line. Except he didnât have it. It was still with the back. Once it came loose Brex cantered forward before Marchand erred.
58 min: Italy, like France, are struggling to find a way through the stiff defensive wall. Garbisi looks up and canât see a gap so he kicks low down the blindside. Another waste of possession. France kick into Italyâs 22 and the visitors launch a counter down the line. This is better. A spiralled pass from Capuozzo finds a teammate in space near the right flank but it drifts forward. No bother though. Italy win a scrum penalty and now have a line-out on Franceâs 22.
56 min: France again though Fickou is shunted back by a hefty tackle from Mononcello. France have it back after a dinked chip up field forces Italy to scramble. A poor kick from Varney hands the initiative back to France who charge forward. But they canât make it count as another penalty sucks out the air from that attack. If I were a French fan Iâd be tearing my hair out.
54 min: Italyâs scrum is secure and the clearance from Page-Relo is long. Thatâs his last act as Varney enters the scene.
52 min: Another maddening error from France as they lose possession on the attack. Although maybe there was a crafty rip in contact from Ruzza. Either way, a promising move from France once again comes to nothing.
50 min: France kick it straight out from just outside their own 22 so Italy have the feed. But Romain Taofifenua gets his large frame down low to seal the ball and win a penalty on the deck.
49 min: France bring on the Taofifenua brothers as well as Marchand, Aldegheri and Roumat. Sweeping changes to the pack. Lucu is off as well.
47 min: Ruzza shows strength to hold the ball up under pressure. Italy keep the ball moving. Seven phases now. Then eight. A pass wide and then a chip out of nowhere almost lands favourably. The onrushing Italian wing (I think that was Menoncello) couldnât get there with an outstretched dive.
PENALTY! France 13-3 Italy (Ramos, 45)
Soft from Italy and Franceâs 10 point lead is restored. A minute ago Page-Relo pinned France in their own 22. But two penalties resulted in a 60 metre swing and three points on the board.
44 min: Lucu breaks down the blindside, kicks and Capuozzo returns a relatively inept clearance. That gives France the chance to counter and they bust through several collisions thanks largely to Cros â who is having a great game. Italy are scrambling and they stick out an unnecessary hand to give away a penalty on the floor.
43 min: France win the line-out under pressure and get a relieving penalty as Italy over commit at the breakdown.
42 min: Italy look so much sharper. Much better ball retention as they carry, theyâre targeting that midfield. Page-Relo boxes a low raking kick and itâs superbly palced. Itâs not a 50-22, but he forces France to throw to the line deep in their own 22.
RED CARD! Danty is gone!
France are down to 14. Before they kick off the referee pulls out his red card and Italy have a huge opportunity. Second half underway.
Hard to see how this stays yellow. Danty in big trouble.
Er, what he said.
Half-Time: Penalty! France 10-3 Italy (Garbisi)
The last act of the half comes from Garbisi who drills a mighty kick from distance to notch Italyâs first points.
Theyâll be buzzing to head into the shed at 10-3 down. France could have scored five tries at least but only managed the one. Italyâs defence held and eventually held their own in the scrum. No question France dominated but theyâll start the second a man down after Danty was shown a yellow card for a high hit.
Weird one. Could still go in either direction.
Yellow Card! France (Danty, 40)
No question. This could be upgraded to red. he never got low enough and had plenty of time to adjust. It was a good read as he burst up to make the hit. But that looked pretty bad on review.
40+ min: After the half time hooter Italy keep attacking. Garbisi and then Brex charge through gaps in the line. Itâs messy and a little hectic. Loads of wild passes and players straightening from static positions. The move fizzles to nothing but theyâre looking at a potential head on hit hit from Danty.
40 min: Two consecutive penalties for Italy in their own 22 means they can clear up field. Vintcent is having a great game at the base of Italyâs pack. His dynamism as he picks and goes is proving productive.
39 min: Itâs just not happening for France. Woki wins another line-out. They maul then splinter. Lucu shifts it. Ramos spirals a skip pass for Penaud but itâs above his head. The winger leaps and tries to off-load back in field. Itâs behind the run of Lebel and thereâs a knock-on. Another visit to Italyâs 22 ends with no score.
37 min: Held up! Tuilagi gets over the line with a pick and go but canât ground it. The move started with some delicious skills from the big teenager. He charged onto a short pass and gave a little dummy and then a quick step to burst through a tackler and canter up field. France recycled well but couldnât get that killer move to land. Lucu had a go as di Mauvaka. Tuilagi had the last shot but was held up. They had the advantage so kicked to the corner to set a maul.
Jalibert canât shake his injury and is replaced by Moefana. Ramos will shift to 10.
35 min: Lamaro walks into a breakdown and simply picks up a loose ball. France seemingly forgot to seal that off. Italy clear away but thereâs concern for Jalibert who is clutching his right knee and is an apparent world of pain. Yup, he copped a mighty low shot as he passed the ball.
France have been below par. Yet again. French fans look frustrated in the stands.
33 min: Italy go short at the line-out. Thatâs been a clear tactic to keep the ball away from Franceâs big units. It works again and they carry without much punch until Fischetti wriggles past a couple of tacklers. Ramos fields a kick, carries into contact and France nick a penalty on the deck around halfway as Jalibert punts to the 22.
31 min: Italy just canât string two consecutive moves together. Once again they win the line-out, make metres with slick hands but spill the ball in contact. France give it back to them with a nothing kick but have it back as Italy hoof an aimless punt of their own. This is getting a little stodgy. Penaud has it down the right flank and attempts a chip and chase. It skews off the side of his boot and straight into touch.
30 min: Italy win a scrum penalty this time. Baille penalised for going to deck. That silenced the crowd. Garbisi can now hoof the ball away from danger about 10 metres short of halfway.
28 min: Italyâs scrum holds and they set their exit well. But an inexplicable off-load is snaffled by Cros and now France have a shot in the red zone. The ball goes wide and Jalibert has a dart himself instead of passing. Again I question that decision from the French 10. Fickou cuts back against the grain and Tuilagi shows lovely hands to keep it moving. A wild pass lands on the turf and Penaud picks up and makes several metres. France are struggling with continuity as Italyâs tenacious defence turns this phase into a scrap. France knock-on so Italy will get another opportunity to set an exit with a scrum.
26 min: Italy win the line-out and Vintcent makes good yardage with a busting carry. France win it back after Italy cough it up in contact. A kick gives possession back to Italy who respond in kind with an awful mistake from Brex who takes an age to clear from the boot. The ball is charged down and France have a chance in the corner. Lebel canât gather the loose ball off the floor so Italy have a scrum.