Fantastic France eased into the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a 60-7 demolition of Italy in Lyon.
The hosts made it a perfect group stage run of four wins from four at a bouncing OL Stadium on Friday night, running in eight tries in total in what was their biggest ever victory over the abject Azzurri.
Ruthless France did not skip a beat without their inspirational captain Antoine Dupont, who missed the clash with familiar Six Nations opponents and will find out on Monday if he can return for the knockout stages after surgery to repair a facial fracture suffered against Namibia last month.
Les Bleus finish above New Zealand as Pool A winners and lock in a quarter-final against the Pool B runners-up in Paris on October 15.
That is very likely to be a blockbuster showdown with defending champions South Africa, unless Scotland can pull off a big upset against Ireland at the Stade de France on Saturday night.
For Italy, a second consecutive drubbing ends their World Cup campaign and Kieran Crowley’s two-year tenure in charge with a real whimper. Incoming head coach Gonzalo Quesada looks to have his work cut out on this evidence.
France stated their intentions from the outset against an Italy team that still had a chance to reach a maiden World Cup quarter-final and eliminate the hosts in the process with a shock win in Lyon.
However, a side still reeling from their 96-17 humiliation by the All Blacks - their largest defeat of the Six Nations era - at the same venue last week were destroyed defensively again inside just two minutes when the in-form Damian Penaud was sent through by Thomas Ramos.
A successful Ramos penalty from all of 50 metres quickly made it 10-0 in more ominous signs for Italy, who were ill-disciplined and error-strewn as young wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey weaved past three defenders for a second try after a fine kick from Bordeaux team-mate Penaud.
France were absolutely dominating and Ramos had them hunting a bonus point after just 22 minutes, with Italy’s plight not helped by the loss of star Toulouse playmaker Ange Capuozzo to what looked like an eye issue - he would later fail his HIA and did not return.
The Azzurri then saw a close-range score from prop Simone Ferrari on his 50th cap wiped away for a dangerous clearout on Maxime Lucu, deputising at scrum-half for France in the absence of Dupont.
That misery was compounded when France went over for their bonus-point try, the electric Penaud notching his sixth of the tournament already and his 14th in international rugby in 2023 after a remarkable kick under pressure from Matthieu Jalibert.
Penaud overtook Vincent Clerc for second spot on France’s all-time try-scoring list on Friday and needs just three more to match Serge Blanco.
Ramos missed another penalty from halfway on the stroke of half-time, but it was a very minor blot on an otherwise perfect copybook from France, who led 31-0 at the break.
Try No5 came from Jalibert, who showed tricky feet to step in and glide home and punish more disorganised and overeager Italian defending.
Hooker Peato Mauvaka broke away from a maul to pile on more misery and head coach Fabien Galthie emptied his bench with one eye firmly fixed on the quarter-finals, providing a devastating reminder of France’s supreme strength in depth in all areas in the process.
One of those replacements - centre Yoram Moefana - took them past the 50-point mark and scored again after a determined consolation score from Italy flanker Manuel Zuliani that prevented them from being completely shut out.
Jaminet’s last-gasp penalty set the seal on a total rout from France as they sent another warning to their World Cup rivals on a perfect night in Lyon, before hoping for good news on Dupont next week.
