Pool A concluded at the Rugby World Cup on Friday night as the dominant hosts stayed perfect in Lyon. France went into their clash with familiar Six Nations opponents needing simply to avoid a shock defeat to seal their passage through to the knockout stages as table-toppers, with a quarter-final blockbuster against defending champions South Africa looking the most likely outcome. And they did it in style with eight tries and a record victory over the abject Azzurri.
It continued a really impressive tournament so far for Les Bleus, with that opening-night win over New Zealand followed by a second-string seeing off spirited Uruguay and minnows Namibia being hammered, though they were missing Antoine Dupont on Friday after surgery to repair his facial fracture and will find out on Monday if their inspirational captain can return for the last eight.
Italy were already hurting after their 14-try drubbing by the All Blacks at the same venue last week and their remote hopes of a famous shock win to dump out France and confirm a maiden quarter-final berth of their own were very quickly extinguished with Kieran Crowley’s tenure now over and Gonzalo Quesada taking the coaching reins. Follow France vs Italy reaction live with Standard Sport’s blog below!
