Les Bleus needed a victory to avoid surrendering the crown they have held for the past two years to Wales. Anything less than a win would have left them four points behind Warren Gatland’s unbeaten side and thanks to the Paris win, France still have a slim chance of retaining their title.
They now need a big win at the Millennium Stadium this weekend to successfully defend their crown. Should that happen they will join Wales at the top of the table on eight points, and then points difference comes into play.
Wales are on +65, France +27 – a 38 point margin that means France need to win by 20 points to smash Welsh Grand Slam dreams. Should they win by 19 points and points difference is even try count is the deciding factor. Wales and France have both scored 11 tries from their four matches played.
But France are still in with a shout after consigning Italy to their fourth defeat in a row in this season’s championship. Debutant Anthony Floch went over for the only try of the first half with Yannick Jauzion and Aurelien Rougerie adding others after the break.
Scrum half Dimitri Yachvili weighed in with two penalties and two conversions.
Martin Castrogiovanni was at the base of a rolling maul to bag a 57th-minute touchdown for Italy and Andrea Marcato booted eight points but it wasn’t enough.
