Ruthless Galthie will be out to crush Italy

BEFORE the 2020 Six Nations began there was widespread speculation that Fabian Galthie would start almost all of his outstanding crop of youngsters and newcomers against Italy, but in a welcome sign that today always matters more than tomorrow, the France coach has gone with his strongest possible line-up.

- BRENDAN GALLAGHER

It sends out a powerful message. France are strictly on business and all the talk of RWC2023 is way too premature. Winning this season’s Six Nations is the only thing occupying their minds and Galthie wants his first XV on the park at all times. Quite right too.

The only change from the side that jolted French rugby back into life against England last week is an enforced one with Montpellier’s Arthur Vincent, a double World Cup winner with France U20 and indeed the captain last year, coming in for Virimi Vakatawa who injured a tricep at the Stade de France on Sunday. Otherwise it is as you were as France look to get their premier XV bedded down before the visit to Wales later this month.

Historically France, even though they have won 18 of their 20 Six Nations encounters against Italy, don’t always produce their A game against their Mediterranean neighbours who seem to niggle away and bring out the worst in them.

There were those two defeats in Rome in 2011 and 2013 while France escaped humiliation at the Stade de France in 2016 when Italy really should have claimed a famous win only for Sergio Parisse to fluff a last minute drop goal attempt. As always with France, its mostly psychological. They regard Italy as a vastly inferior team, a side they should always beat and the result a foregone conclusion.

Often in the past they have played for 30 minutes, built an unassailable lead and then ‘declared’ – unwilling to keep pushing their bodies any further. Why should they? The season is long and their clubs would be wanting their pound of flesh the moment they got back from international duty.