The overwhelming Guinness Six Nations 73-24 home defeat for Italy at the hands of France in their 2025 fiftieth competitive international has led to consideration of whether one can draw meaningful parallels between the early days of French international rugby and the performance of the Azzurri since the inauguration of the Six Nations competition in 2000.
From The Vaults
31 March 2025
France and Italy, A Century Apart
Pre-Six Nations
Prior to 2000, Italy had played 285 international matches against a variety of opponents and won 130 of them, a win ratio of 45.6%. Italy's main source of matches came from their involvement in the competition of the Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur (FIRA), which was established in 1934 to administer rugby union in Europe.
This followed the expulsion of France from the Five Nations championship at the end of the 1930-31 season. Despite being readmitted to the Five Nations in 1947, France continued to take part in the FIRA competition most years until the end of the 1996-97 season, the year in which Italy finally won the competition on its 18th attempt (pictured).
The record of France in international rugby between 1906 and 1931 is patchy. They lost 27 of their first 28 games before the First World War, the sole success coming in a thrilling 16-15 victory at Stade Colombes against Scotland in January 1911. Their record in the 59 matches played after the war, including their final match in the Five Nations against England in April 1931, was much better. They won 17 matches to give them a 28.8% win ratio from the post-war matches but only a 20.7% win record over all their opponents since 1906. In their matches against Five Nations opponents between 1920 and 1931, France won just 11 of their 48 encounters giving them a win ratio of 22.9%.
Coming into the modern professional era in the Six Nations, it all began so well for Italy in February 2000 when they convincingly beat Scotland, recent Rugby World Cup quarter-finalists, by 34 points to 20 at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome but it was not until the 2011 Six Nations tournament that Italy beat France a second time under the captaincy of Sergio Parisse.
Mirco Bergamasco, 2011
Their hero this time with five penalty goals was Mirco Bergamasco, playing on the left wing and the younger of the two legendary Italian brothers. France were firm favourites and contained many of the players destined to lose the Rugby World Cup Final against the All Blacks very narrowly later in the year in Auckland. In this match France led 18-6 after 50 minutes but a try from the Italian full back Andrea Masi and accurate marksmanship from the younger Bergamasco gave Italy a one-point lead with five minutes to go. They hung on and secured a much needed 22-21 victory.
Two years later, Italy managed their third victory over France. With home advantage in Rome and having restricted France to a two-point lead at half time, Italy dominated the second half with their totemic prop Martin Castrogiovanni scoring a crucial converted try in the 56th minute. A drop goal from the Australian born replacement fly half Kristopher Burton with twelve minutes of the match remaining saw Italy safely through by 23 points to 18.
From 2013 to the present day, Italy have managed one draw against France but there have been no further victories. A heart-breaking encounter in Lille in 2024 ended in a 13-13 draw when, in the final action of the match, the Italian fly half Paolo Garbisi hit the right hand post with a penalty attempt from 38 metres out on the left hand side. The ball fell over as he was preparing his run-up and there were just fifteen seconds on the clock left for him to take the kick.
Although Garbisi recovered his composure remarkably quickly and re-placed the ball within the time remaining, he ended up rushing the kick with just three seconds left. The ball bounced high off the post and the French defence ran the ball out of danger until their centre was tackled into touch thereby ending the match. It was a very lucky escape for France and fortune certainly deserted the Italians that day.
Sources:
- Encyclopédie du Rugby Français - Lafond & Bodis (Editions Dehedin, Paris 1989)
- Rugby 2014 - Paolo Pacitti e Francesco Volpe (Zesi Tipografia srl 2014)
- Scottish Rugby Game by Game - Kenneth R Bogle (Luath Press Limited 2013)
- World Rugby Museum scrapbooks and spreadsheets 1871-2025 (compiler: Richard Steele)
About the Author
A professional musician and arts administrator, Richard Steele has been on the committee of the World Rugby Museum at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham since 2005 and is the co-author of the RFU's 150th anniversary book England Rugby 150 Years.
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