The match: 38-15
After two lackluster performances against Ireland (38-17) and especially in Scotland (15-5), the Blues were reassured against Italy. Under the Sunday sun of the capital, they even delighted in sequences with a passing game in defense that they have been working on for a while but have not yet managed to completely master.
Of course, there were still a few balls dropped at Jean-Bouin this Sunday (especially at the end of the match, when the fate of the match was sealed). But much less than in previous outings. From the first action, ten minutes of play and 1’45, the French set the tone with an alternating sequence concluded by Nassira Konde (2nd).
After a short period of French weakness during which the Italians took the opportunity to invade the French camp, the Blues reacted quickly with the explosive try of Annaëlle Deshaye (23rd). More dynamic and quick in contact, they rolled out to secure the offensive bonus point even before half-time, helped, it is true, by the yellow card of Sara Tounesi (30th).
If the pace dropped in the second period, the Blues still did what was necessary to maintain a significant gap with the strong attempts of Assia Khalfaoui (44th) and Madoussou Fall (63rd), to whom responded, in a burst of Italian pride, Alyssa D’Inca’s double (55th, 77th). With this third success, the Tricolores continue their mano a mano at a distance with England, whom they will meet again on April 27 in Bordeaux for the “final” of the Tournament, after the trip to Cardiff against the Welsh next Sunday (4:15 p.m.).
25
Although they scored four fewer tries than the Blues (2 against 6), the Italians still dominated in one sector, that of the number of defenders beaten: 25 (compared to 24 for the Blues).
The player: the Khalfaoui show
The right pillar of the Bleues is not stingy in high-level matches in the blue jersey. But the one she released this Sunday is on another level again. It’s quite simple, it was everywhere, in the four corners of Jean-Bouin’s synthetic lawn. Impeccable in relay, always there to support, she distributed the offloads, as in the tests of Konde (2nd) or Deshaye (23rd).
The Bordelaise was also attentive to recover bad Italian throws into touch (34th, 38th) or scraped the ball from the opposing hands (20th, 40th). And she even punctuated her monumental performance with a strong try at the start of the second half (44th). His best game in blue.
