Ollivon happy as France make a statement

FRANCE captain Charles Ollivon was delighted that their “serious” approach against Italy paid off with a handsome opening Guinness Six Nations victory.

Les Bleus made a strong statement by running in seven tries and coasting to a 50-10 win at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

“We repeated it all week and during the training course in Nice, it took a lot of seriousness,” Ollivon said at the post-match press conference.

“We needed to prepare well for this match, we have not been negligent at all.

“We were very serious, we have followed the instructions. We worked in depth during the 10 days in Nice and it paid off.”

France have not been Six Nations champions since 2010, but Fabien Galthie’s side won seven of their nine games in 2020 and head to Ireland next with confidence high.

Scrum-half Antoine Dupont, the 2020 player of the tournament, was again outstanding and joined Dylan Cretin, Gael Fickou, Arthur Vincent, Brice Dulin and Teddy Thomas, who crossed twice, on the try sheet.

Ollivon said: “In the first half, they put in big sequences, very hard to defend.

“I am very happy with the state of mind of the team which has not given up.

“At this level, there is no room for relaxation, even 30 seconds. It’s a big satisfaction today, but we will quickly have to switch and move on because we have a big game in a week.”

Louis Rees-Zammit scored a try on his Six Nations debut as Wales held off 14-man Ireland to win 21-16 at the Principality Stadium.

The 20-year-old Gloucester wing pounced midway through the second half, destroying Irish hopes of a famous triumph over adversity after flanker Peter O’Mahony’s 14th-minute red card.

Munster forward O’Mahony was sent off following a reckless shoulder-led hit to Wales’ Exeter Chiefs prop Tomas Francis’ head, but Ireland still led until Rees-Zammit struck.

George North’s 42nd touchdown for his country, three Leigh Halfpenny penalties and a conversion ultimately broke Ireland, despite a late Burns penalty.