France v Italy LIVE: Six Nations 2024 latest score and updates from Lille

France assistant coach Laurent Sempere has praised Posolo Tuilagi for his energy as the lock prepares to make his first start for Les Bleus against Italy in the Six Nations.

The 19-year-old has been named in the starting XV for the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy clash at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille.

After losing their opening game to Ireland, France bounced back with a dramatic victory against Scotland at Murrayfield, leaving them fourth in the table ahead of the third round of matches.

Tuilagi has featured from the bench in both games so far and co-coach Sempere was full of praise for the teenager.

He told the French Rugby Federation website: “Posolo is one of the players who brought a lot of energy at the end of the match in Scotland, which he had already done when he came on against Ireland.

“Today we decided that he should start the game against Italy. It was his performances during training with us, and at each of his appearances, that ensured that he won this starter jersey.”

Frustrated Steve Borthwick felt his work-in-progress England team were taught “a real painful lesson” by a Duhan Van Der Merwe-inspired Scotland after the Red Rose crashed to a fourth consecutive Calcutta Cup defeat at Murrayfield.

The visitors arrived in Edinburgh hoping to make it three Six Nations victories in a row and they made a bright start in which a George Furbank try helped them carve a 10-0 lead in the opening quarter of an hour. However, they lost their way and were put to the sword by their clinical hosts who ran out 30-21 winners.

Van Der Merwe – who scored a double in the Scots’ win at Twickenham last year – was again England’s tormentor-in-chief as he became the first man in a dark blue jersey to score a Calcutta Cup hat-trick.

“After a defeat and performance when you don’t think you’ve maximised your potential, it’s always disappointment,” said head coach Borthwick. “I don’t think the team maximised their potential today.

“When you make that number of handling errors at this level, it’s very difficult to win, especially against a team of Scotland’s quality. Ultimately we made it too easy for Scotland to score, but they were very clinical. It’s a huge lesson for our team as we develop. The number of turnovers made it very difficult to win.”

The jet-heeled wing – who scored a stunning double at Twickenham just over 12 months ago – had the home crowd in raptures as he produced a Murrayfield masterclass to inspire his team to a 30-21 victory and move to within one of Scotland’s all-time record try-scorer Stuart Hogg.

England started brightly and opened up an early 10-0 lead, with George Furbank scoring his first international try, but Steve Borthwick’s men offered little thereafter as their unbeaten start to the championship shuddered to a halt.

Remarkably, they have now won only one of the last seven meetings with Scotland.

Now it is time to meet the next generation. Having made a couple of appearances off the bench in this Six Nations, Posolo Tuilagi will make his first France start against Italy in Lille, the hulking lock considered a rising star. Still a teenager, Posolo remains eligible for France’s Under 20s, but has already featured prominently in two Top 14 seasons for Perpignan, the club at which father Henry ended his professional playing career.

Born in Samoa, Posolo has been in France since he was three and made his professional debut for Les Sang et Or in September 2022. Weighing nearly 150kg, his stature made him an immediate stand-out, but Tuilagi combines his natural size advantage with the skill that has powered him into the international picture so soon.

Learn more about France’s newest star:

The Six Nations is set to return to television screens, with the BBC and ITV again sharing coverage of the annual championship.

The two terrestrial broadcasters’ combined deal runs until the end of the 2025 edition.

A number of familiar faces will provide expert insight and analysis across the Six Nations campaign, along with some key new additions.

Here is who you can expect to see and hear throughout the Six Nations.

France vs Italy (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille) – Sunday 25 February, 3pm GMT

Italy vs Scotland (Stadio Olimpico, Rome) – Saturday 9 March, 2.15pm GMT

England vs Ireland (Twickenham, London) – Saturday 9 March, 4.45pm GMT

Wales vs France (Principality Stadium, Cardiff) – Sunday 10 March, 3pm GMT

Wales vs Italy (Principality Stadium, Cardiff) – Saturday 16 March, 2.15pm GMT

Ireland vs Scotland (Aviva Stadium, Dublin) – Saturday 16 March, 4.45pm GMT

France vs England (Groupama Stadium, Lyon) – Saturday 16 March, 8pm GMT

Tuilagi, who weighs nearly 150 kg and is the nephew of England star Manu Tuilagi, came off the bench in France’s opening two matches of this year’s championship, but now partners Cameron Woki in the second-row from the kick-off at Villeneuve-d’Ascq.

Meanwhile, Ross Vintcent will make a first start for Italy, as head coach Gonzalo Quesada named a much-changed team from the round two defeat to Ireland.

Christophe Ridley will make his Six Nations debut after being appointed to referee the round three clash between France and Italy.

The talented young Englishman joins the officiating panel as a lead official after the retirement of Wayne Barnes, having worked closely with his compatriot during his career so far.

A former member of the academy at Leicester Tigers, Ridley switched to refereeing after a series of injuries and has developed quickly through the ranks after studying at the University of Gloucestershire.

Here’s everything you need to know about today’s referee:

Gonzalo Quesada shuffles his pack after a bruising trip to Dublin that saw Italy fail to register. Federico Mori starts at inside centre with Tommaso Menoncello shifted out to the wing, while Martin Page-Relo replaces Stephen Varney at scrum half.

Riccardo Favretto will win his second international cap three years on from his first in a new-look back row, with the uncapped Matteo Canali among Italy’s own six-strong bench forward unit.

Italy XV: 1 Danilo Fischetti, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 3 Giosue Zilocchi; 4 Niccolo Cannone, 5 Federico Ruzza; 6 Riccardo Favretto, 7 Michele Lamaro (capt.), 8 Ross Vintcent; 9 Martin Page-Relo, 10 Paolo Garbisi; 11 Monty Ioane, 12 Federico Mori, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 14 Tommaso Menoncello; 15 Ange Capuozzo.

Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 Matteo Canali, 20 Andrea Zambonin, 21 Manuel Zuliani; 22 Stephen Varney, 23 Leonardo Marin.

Fabien Galthie hands teenage lock Posolo Tuilagi his first start in the French pack, with Paul Boudehent brought into the back row after injury to Gregory Alldritt.

Charles Ollivon captains in Alldritt’s absence with Francois Cros sliding across to No 8, while potential debutant Esteban Abadie is one of six forwards on the bench. The impressive Louis Bielle-Biarrey was set to start on the left wing once more but Toulouse star Matthis Lebel was a late call-up to replace him on Saturday.

France XV: 1 Cyrill Baille, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 3 Uini Atonio; 4 Cameron Woki, 5 Posolo Tuilagi; 6 Paul Boudehent, 7 Charles Ollivon (capt.), 8 Francois Cros; 9 Maxime Lucu, 10 Matthieu Jalibert; 11 Matthis Lebel, 12 Jonathan Danty, 13 Gael Fickou, 14 Damian Penaud; 15 Thomas Ramos.

Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Sebastien Taofifenua, 18 Dorian Aldegheri, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Alexandre Roumat, 21 Esteban Abadie; 22 Nolann Le Garrec, 23 Yoram Moefana.