Following France’s 13-all draw with Italy in the Six Nations, here is how we rated Fabien Galthie’s charges.
France player ratings v Italy
15 Thomas Ramos: He was solid at fullback when Jalibert was on the pitch but largely ineffective when shifted to fly-half. France’s 6-2 bench gamble did not pay off today as Ramos simply doesn’t have the game management to play fly-half at Test level. 3
14 Damian Penaud: Pulled out of position for Ange Capuozzo’s score that levelled the match in the latter stages. There were some good moments on attack, but that was paired with some wasteful risks that didn’t pay off. 4
13 Gaël Fickou: Did what he could in the midfield when his centre partner lost his cool and was rightfully sent for an early shower. This could well have been a first-ever Italy win in France if it weren’t for the defensive captain’s performance in the midfield. 7
12 Jonathan Danty: He had some good moments before his sending-off, but quite frankly, he cost France a win today for a lazy, horrible tackle, which has been a nasty feature of his game recently. 1
11 Matthis Lebel: A late call up to the squad as he was supposed to start for Toulouse this weekend. He took his opportunity relatively well and had very few negatives. 5
Half backs
10 Matthieu Jalibert: The French attack looked to actually be purring with him on the pitch and kicked well out of hand. He wasted a chance with a poor pass in the 22 but outside of that he was solid before injury ended his involvement. 5
9 Maxime Lucu: Indecision snuck back into the game as France continue to miss Antoine Dupont. Often he was turning around before passing as he misread the attack, better than he has been in other matches but still stuttering. 4
Planet Rugby’s player ratings key.
Loose forwards
8 François Cros: One of France’s finest players this campaign, and that was the case again today with a strong breakdown performance. He was strong on defence, good in the carries and filled Gregory Alldritt’s void well. 7
7 Charles Ollivon: One of the many surprisingly early substitutions as he was one of the better forwards on the pitch. He was arguably fortunate to score and should have finished the match as the skipper. 6
6 Paul Boudehent: The La Rochelle star took his opportunity to start in Alldritt’s absence with both hands as he hammered into tackles, made a lovely break and was committed on defence. 6
Tight five
5 Posolo Tuilagi: Replaced far too soon in the second half as he was having a standout performance. He drew in Italian defenders whenever he touched the ball whether he took it to the line or not. He is a star already, what a talent. 7
4 Cameron Woki: He has been somewhat pedestrian this Six Nations, and today was no different. While the lineout improved today, that was one of the few good contributions he made. 4
3 Uini Atonio: Solid in the scrums, which is his main job, and drew in defenders with his carries but got little purchase meterage-wise. 5
2 Peato Mauvaka: Much like many of his teammates, he is nowhere near the level he was at during the Rugby World Cup, and it’s surprising he has kept the starting jumper after his performance in the first two matches. Some of his throws were wonky once again, and he offered little in open play. 4
1 Cyril Baille: Hit his 50 Test cap milestone in a forgettable result for France. The loosehead prop scrummaged well and, got his hands on the ball plenty and lent a shoulder of defence. 5
Replacements: Galthie gambled on his bench to breathe new life into the match after Danty’s sending-off, and it didn’t. Perhaps he pulled the trigger too soon and, in some cases, too late, and that is his doing. Regardless, they had a job to do and didn’t. 2
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Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
