>‹CrackStreaM›🔴 Italy vs France Live Stream ✅ How to Watch Guinness Six Nations 2021: Live Stream Rugby Union 4K
There’s a continental clash to kick off the 2021 Six Nations. Italy will hope to spring a surprise against a French team tipped by many to land their first title since.
Go LIVE░░▒▓██►▶️▶️>>> https://usports.online/six-nations/
Six years ago this month, Italy beat Scotland away in round three of the Six Nations. In their next game they got clobbered 29–0 at home by France in what we know now to be the start of the worst run in the championship’s history.
Go LIVE░░▒▓██►▶️▶️>>> https://usports.online/six-nations/
The Azzurri’s losing streak stands at 27 matches going into this Saturday’s 2021 Six Nations opener against the French in Rome (2.15pm). During that time, only twice have they lost by fewer than ten points — against France (23–21) in 2016 and Scotland (29–27) in 2018. The last time they picked up even a losing bonus point was nearly three years ago.
These are the grisly facts and the reason why talk of promotion and relegation quickly surfaces on chatrooms at this time of year. What are Italy to do?
Well, coach Franco Smith is taking the long-term view, his youthful 32-man squad containing only four players with more than 30 caps. He has entrusted the crucial No 10 role to Paolo Garbisi, a 20-year-old greenhorn who has impressed in a struggling team.
Whether Smith, an affable South African, will be around to see the fruits of his forward-looking policy remains to be seen. They have the benefit of three home games this year but nobody outside the camp is expecting anything other than five more Italian defeats.
Until recently, France would have been viewed as ideal opponents for them, such is their unpredictability. But 2020 seemingly changed all that. Les Bleus lost out to England in last year’s fractured Six Nations only on points difference. And their understrength side also took England to the wire in the Autumn Nations Cup, losing the final in extra time.
Related content: French government approves Covid plan
In 24-year-old Toulouse scrum-half Antoine Dupont, last year’s Player of the Championship with 46% of the vote, they have a global star.
Despite an escalating injury list that includes his half-back partner Romain Ntamack and centre Virimi Vakatawa, France go into the tournament as favourites in many people’s eyes. Matthieu Jalibert, Ntamack’s replacement, has been playing out of his skin in the Top 14.
“We’re not underdogs any more. We’re going to go everywhere as serious challengers,” former France hooker Benjamin Kayser told Scrum V. “And that’s a completely different ball game. Every single game has to be a moment to shine, to learn, to perform.”
The countries met twice last year. Italy produced their best performance of the 2020 Six Nations in Paris, scoring three tries in a 35–22 defeat.
They returned to the French capital in November for an Autumn Nations Cup pool game and were trounced 36–5, despite leading through Carlo Canna’s try. Here’s an Italian try to savour from a past Italy-France match, scored by their greatest-ever player, Sergio Parisse…
What’s the big team news?
Italy’s big call is to drop Canna, a second playmaker at 12, and give a debut there to centre Juan Ignacio Brex. Brex, 27, is a former Argentina XV and sevens player who left South America in 2015 and has been going well for Benetton.
With Jake Polledri, arguably Italy’s best player, sadly absent after sustaining a knee injury last autumn, 22-year-old Michele Lamaro makes his first start in the back row after a couple of caps in the Autumn Nations Cup.
Second-row David Sisi makes his first start since the 2019 World Cup while Jacopo Truller wears the 15 shirt occupied by Matteo Minozzi in Italy’s previous Six Nations game against England in October. Minozzi, of Wasps, is unavailable after saying he was too physically and mentally tired to live in a bubble for another two months.
France’s side looks none too shabby despite their injuries. Jalibert, who started three games in the autumn, replaces the injured Ntamack (broken jaw) while Arthur Vincent fills in for Vakatawa (knee ligaments) in midfield.
No 8 Grégory Alldritt, France’s top ball-carrier last year and shortlisted for 2020 Player of the Championship, lines up having joined the squad late due to an arthroscopy. And Brice Dulin and Gabin Villière are rewarded for their autumn performances with starts in the back three.
Racing 92 hooker Camille Chat (calf) is missing, so Pierre Bourgarit — a starter at Twickenham in December — makes the match 23. Also on the bench is Baptiste Serin, who captained France in their Autumn Nations Cup game against Italy.
