- The shot clock was almost zero when Paolo Garbisi scored the penalty
- France is without skipper Antoine Dupont as he pursues his Olympic dream
- However, Fabien Galthie’s team is finding it extremely difficult without the scrum half
The same weekend as their star player Antoine Dupont starred in his seven-a-side debut in Vancouver, rudderless 14-man France were held to a 13-13 draw by Italy in Lille.
In an extraordinary final, Azzurri fly-half Paolo Garbisi had the chance to win the match for his team with the last kick of the match. But when Garbisi set up a penalty, the ball fell off the tee.
While the shot clock for the kick was running, the Italian playmaker had to put the ball back in and reset. As the time counted down, he had to rush his kick.
Garbisi’s effort hit the post to deprive Italy of what would have been a first Six Nations victory over France on French soil. The end result was that the two sides shared the spoils.
Dupont’s decision to pursue his Olympic dream in the shorter rugby format means he is unavailable to lead Les Bleus in this year’s Six Nations.
France drew level with Italy on the day their captain Antoine Dupont played for the 7s team in Vancouver
Paolo Garbisi came within inches of sealing a stunning win for Italy on the road in Lille
The Italian No. 10’s penalty was rushed after the ball fell off the tee as the shot clock ticked down
Without the scrum half, Fabien Galthie’s team is struggling. They could not beat the Azzurri after playing the second half with a numerical deficit following Jonathan Danty’s sending-off.
After another disappointing French performance, the championship title is now almost certainly above them as they sit in fourth place. Italy deserved some of their loot and could have gotten even more.
In France’s power play, they dominated territory and possession in the first half, although they led only 10-3 at half-time. Captain Charles Olivon crossed and Matthieu Jalibert kicked a conversion and a penalty, but France’s accuracy was not good. The Italian defense was impressive.
And France lost fly-half Jalibert to injury and center Danty to what was initially a yellow card for a high tackle on Juan Ignacio Brex at the end of the opening 40. Martin Page-Relo kicked an Italian penalty. Danty’s yellow was rightly upgraded to red before the second half started.
Ramos – who moved from full-back to No. 10 when Jalibert left – made it 13-3 when the match resumed. But Italy never went away and France’s high error rate persisted.
Captain Charles Olivon crossed the border for the only French attempt in the encounter
Thomas Ramos moved from full-back to number 10 and scored eight of France’s 13 points on the day
Ange Capuozzo scored Italy’s try after half-time against some of his Toulouse teammates
Garbisi kicked a second Azzurri penalty as France began to tire despite head coach Galthie emptying his bench to try and bring in new legs.
But after Italy finally managed to string together some phase play, Ange Capuozzo – a Toulouse teammate of many of the French players – crossed into the corner.
Garbisi managed the touchline conversion. It tied the score and set up a grandstand finish. Italy’s Under-20 team defeated France in the junior Six Nations on Friday and close to the death, Garbisi had the chance to make it a famous double.
But he suffered a heartbreaking and unfortunate final with the tee incident – an incident that Italy will surely look back on for many years to come as a huge missed opportunity.