Friday 10 March 2017 17:42, UK
France U20s secured their second victory of the Six Nations with an 18-13 success over Italy in Cagliari on Friday afternoon.
Front row duo Florian Dufour and Ugo Boniface both scored first-half tries to put the French in control 12-3 at the break.
Antonio Rizzi crossed for the Italians, who remain winless in this year's championship, in the second half but the boot of French fly-half Romain N'Tamack sealed the victory for the visitors.
Full-back Massimo Cioffi put the Italians ahead inside the opening 10 minutes, punishing the French's indiscipline at the ruck with a simple penalty, before pushing his second attempt wide five minutes later.
The home side continued to threaten. Rizzi's chip and chase was nearly gathered, only to be denied as the referee brought play back for an earlier infringement.
Despite the early promise from the Italians it was their opponents who were to come up with the first try of the match.
Spotting the space and the opportunity to counter, France spread the ball wide to winger Faraj Fartass who almost ran the length of the field before being brought down by Rizzi's last-ditch defence.
The danger was only momentarily avoided however, a penalty and kick to the corner by the French allowing Florain Dufour to score from the back of a driving maul, N'Tamack adding the conversion to take the score to 7-3.
The French, who went into the game off the back of a 27-22 defeat to Ireland, extended their lead shortly after through a try from Boniface. The prop crossing in an almost identical spot to Dufour as he picked and drove from short range. The missed conversion from N'Tamack leaving France with a nine point lead at the break.
Cioffi missed another penalty attempt early in the second half but it didn't prove to be too costly as Rizzi soon had the Italians' first try of the afternoon, the fly half powering over for the score from deep inside the French 22 before adding the extras to bring the hosts back within just two points.
Two penalties from the boot of N'Tamack took the score to 18-10 as the game entered the final ten minutes but the visitors were penalised almost immediately from the re-start, Cioffi's penalty bringing the Italians back to within a score.
As the game entered the final moments the hosts pushed for a match-winning score but were unable to break down the French defensive line, the match finishing at 18-13 to the visitors.
