Clinical French keep Italy at bay

FRANCE U20s resisted a second half comeback to claim their second win of the Six Nations at the Stadio Santa Rosa on Friday night.

Front row pairing Florian Dufour and Ugo Boniface both scored tries in the first half to put the French 12-3 up at the break.

Antonio Rizzi crossed for the home side, who remain winless this Championship, in the second half but two penalties from the boot of French fly-half Romain N’Tamack kept the visitors ahead.

Italian Massimo Ciooffi opened the scoring after 18 minutes with a simple penalty but missed his next attempt and the Italians also left two try-scoring opportunities begging.

France counter-attacked from the second chanceto claim the opening try of the game through Dufour from a lineout drive.

The French, who came into the game off the back of a 27-22 defeat in Ireland, extended their lead shortly after with a second try this time from Boniface.

The prop crossed in an almost identical spot to Dufour with 33 minutes played as he picked and drove from short range and found the Italian try line to make it 12-3 at the interval.

Fly-half Rizzi brought the hosts back within just two points with a try converted by Cioffi but France went five clear after N’Tamack slotted his first penalty of the game ten minutes later.

A second two minutes from time sealed the win for the French despite a late Italian effort from the tee by Cioffi.