Damien Penaud leads eight-try rout of Italy as France confirm progress in style

Et voilà. France are through to the quarter-finals of their own Rugby World Cup after the tournament’s latest mismatch against a demoralised Italy. The unthinkable outcome – a pool-stage exit for Fabien Galthié’s side – had remained a possibility before the game, but was never on the cards from the moment Damian Penaud scored the first of eight French tries in the second minute. Not even before that, in truth, considering France have now beaten Italy 14 times consecutively, a run stretching back to 2014.

If the predatory Penaud’s progress is a marker of France’s hopes, their fellow title contenders should be worried. The wing has now scored in seven straight matches and 14 times this year. Two tries here took him to second overall in their men’s try-scorers’ chart, with 35, now only three behind Serge Blanco. As a whole, the French machine is tuning up satisfactorily with top spot in Pool A safely secured. A likely last-eight collision with Ireland or South Africa will be a monumental affair for which their forwards, in particular, will need to be at their best.

For Kieran Crowley, Galthié’s opposite number, his Italy tenure ends in a profound disappointment. Crushing defeats by the All Blacks and now the hosts can at least be offset by victories against Namibia and Uruguay. The New Zealander will rightly point to the sensational win over Wales in last year’s Six Nations, and last November’s triumph against Australia, but Crowley’s side have simply failed to live up to expectations.

Champagne, among other libations, flowed outside the stadium before kick-off. Had celebration broken out early or was it a case of settling the nerves? Damaging setbacks have arrived with regularity for France, most notably the potentially devastating blow of Antoine Dupont’s fractured cheekbone. But the prop Cyril Baille had returned from injury in the thrashing of Namibia, along with the estimable figure of Jonathan Danty in midfield, and both started against Italy. The recovery of the captain, Dupont, was progressing nicely too; Les Bleus just needed to ensure they qualified.

In attempting to deal with their devastating 96-17 defeat by the All Blacks, the Azzurri conducted a fire ceremony in midweek, with players and staff committing their thoughts to pieces of paper before burning them. When you’re trying to rebuild confidence after a belief-sapping defeat, perhaps the last people you want to see are this heavy-duty French pack, featuring the likes of Baille and Uini Atonio. Not to mention the talented back division into which the 20-year-old wing, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, has forced himself as a starter.

Any hint of home nerves were calmed by the try for Penaud that stemmed from the first French attack. Atonio and Thibaud Flament, the second-row, were both involved, busting through tackles and eventually creating a huge overlap for Penaud. Thomas Ramos belted over a penalty from halfway after Hame Faiva was penalised, and the pressure on Italy continued unabated, Penaud fluffing a grubber kick with another big overlap created.

The hosts quickly came again, and Penaud got his kick right this time, brilliantly picking out Bielle-Biarrey with a chip that the young wing converted impeccably by jinking inside. Ramos converted and at 17-0 after 15 minutes a long night was in store for Italy – even more so when Ramos flopped over after another fluent exchange with Ramos and Gaël Fickou.

At 24-0, Italy steadied a badly listing ship. After Ange Capuozzo was removed for a head injury assessment, Italy kicked a penalty for the corner, allowing Simone Ferrari to power over the line and seemingly repair some of the damage. But after the TMO spotted a high hit by Ferrari on Maxime Lucu, the try was chalked off, the Italy prop narrowly escaping a yellow card. Almost immediately, Penaud went over at the other end to secure a bonus point after fielding Matthieu Jalibert’s cross-kick. Ramos erred with another long-range penalty with the clock in the red, but the half-time scoreboard still read 31-0.

Crowley had said he was looking for a performance with “a lot more respectability” following the humbling by New Zealand but, when Jalibert darted through a gap and over for the fifth try seven minutes after the break, that looked an increasingly forlorn hope. When Peato Mauvaka, the France hooker, crashed across the line seven minutes later Italian heads were beginning to drop alarmingly.

Capuozzo failed his HIA – another unwelcome blow – while Galthié’s thoughts were turning to managing his resources for the quarter-final: Melvyn Jaminet replaced Ramos and Yoram Moefana, freshly introduced in midfield for Fickou, jogged in for the seventh try on 63 minutes.

Italy mustered a consolation score via Manuel Zuliani, his try converted by the fly-half Tommaso Allan, who has not missed off the tee all tournament. Moefana completed a bright cameo with his second try, France’s eighth, and the hosts can continue to dream.