Quarter-Final Quest: France vs Italy in Rugby World Cup 2023

Host nation France is eager to secure a spot in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with an unblemished record of four wins in the pool phase. Maxime Lucu will take the scrum-half position for Les Bleus in the absence of the injured captain. Antoine Dupont. Grégory Alldritt makes his return to the back row, replacing François Cros.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey gets the nod over Gabin Villiers on the left wing. Charles Ollivon takes the captain’s armband in Dupont’s stead. Marking his first captaincy since the French tour of Japan in July 2022. Notably, club teammates Lucu and fly-half Matthieu Jalibert will form the half-back partnership, a reunion since their last appearance together during the same tour.

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On the other side, Italy, despite a substantial defeat to New Zealand last week, harbors their own quarter-final aspirations and aims to disrupt France’s plans. The equation for the Azzurri is straightforward: a victory by a margin of seven points or more will extend Kieran Crowley’s tenure as head coach for one more match.

Crowley has implemented five personnel changes and three positional switches to his starting XV compared to the team that endured a 96-17 defeat in their previous outing. Simone Ferrari, celebrating his 50th test appearance, joins forces with Epalahame Faiva and Pietro Ceccarelli to form a revamped front row in RWC.

Niccolò Cannone returns to the second row, partnering with Federico Ruzza. Additionally, Tommaso Allan assumes the fly-half position after starting at full-back against the All Blacks, Paolo Garbisi returns to inside center, and Ange Capuozzo transitions to full-back after playing three of his last four tests on the right wing.

Italy’s Glimpse of Hope: Memorable Moments Against France in RWC

Fixture History: France boasts a dominant record against Italy, having won 44 out of 47 test Rugby World Cup matches since their first encounter on October 17, 1937. Italy’s most recent triumph against France dates back to the 2013 Six Nations, a staggering 14 matches ago.

Memorable RWC Match: While Italy’s record against France may be daunting, they can draw inspiration from their recent clash during the 2023 Six Nations. Despite finishing 29-24 in favor of France. It required a late try from Matthieu Jalibert and resolute defense against Italy’s formidable maul in the closing minutes to secure victory for Les Bleus.

Key Talking Point: The spotlight in France falls on two absent players – scrum-half Antoine Dupont and first-choice hooker Julien Marchand. Dupont, recovering from a broken cheekbone, awaits a specialist’s assessment to determine his availability. If France advances to the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Marchand is grappling with a thigh injury sustained in the tournament opener against New Zealand. With prospects of his participation in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals diminishing.

Player Head-to-Head: While not in the same position, the RWC matchup to watch is between Tommaso Allan and Thomas Ramos, both crucial kickers for their respective teams. Italy’s Allan has maintained a perfect kicking record at Rugby World Cup 2023. In contrast, France’s Ramos has amassed an impressive 41 points in two matches, including 12 conversions during the 96-0 victory over Namibia. In 2023, Ramos has averaged over 17 points per match and has not missed more than two kicks at goal per game this season.

Damian Penaud stands out as the leading try-scorer in the 2023 tournament. Tallying an impressive 12 tries. He enters the game on a six-game try-scoring streak, the longest of his career. Penaud ranks third on France’s all-time leading scorer list with 33 tries.

Italy’s Healing Ritual: Moving Beyond All Blacks Defeat in Rugby World Cup

Italy’s rugby team, reeling from their devastating loss to the All Blacks, is turning to a soul-cleansing fire ceremony as they prepare to face France in their final pool game of the Rugby World Cup. Coach Kieran Crowley emphasized that Italy’s focus for the upcoming match is on the process rather than the outcome, aiming to rejuvenate their World Cup campaign.

Despite the crushing 96-17 defeat to New Zealand. The Azzurri still hold the potential to secure a spot in the quarterfinals from Pool A with a victory over the tournament hosts at OL Stadium.

Crowley expressed his confidence that the team has “moved on” from the disheartening loss. And emphasizing that a single poor performance should not define them. He stated, “One bad performance doesn’t define you, so we very quickly put it behind us.” He also added that the team is eager for the opportunity to deliver a performance that restores respect and credibility to their name.

Scrumhalf Stephen Varney at RWC revealed that the players engaged in a unique ceremony during the week. Each player wrote down their thoughts on the New Zealand debacle on a piece of paper and then collectively discarded them into a firepit.

Taking responsibility for the loss, Crowley acknowledged that as a coach, he may have veered the team towards focusing more on the outcome of their efforts rather than the essential individual steps required for competitiveness. He admitted, “Last week on reflection, it’s probably bad coaching on my behalf; I think we lost the process.” In response, the team has shifted their attention back to the fundamental process as they prepare for their crucial match.

Despite the initial hiccups, the All Blacks have now booked their place in the quarterfinals. Facing New Zealand in the next round is a daunting prospect for Ireland, South Africa, or Scotland. Given the All Blacks’ resurgence and their 11-try performance against Uruguay.

Uruguay’s Grit and All Blacks’ Inaccuracies in Rugby World Cup Clash

Damian McKenzie has left All Blacks coach Ian Foster with a pleasant dilemma. As New Zealand advances into the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals. His scintillating performance against Uruguay featured two tries and two assists. Has firmly placed him in contention for a starting role in the knockout stages.

The outstanding display began with a remarkable contribution off the bench against Italy in the previous week. His exceptional form continued as he took the field against Uruguay. This time at fullback. He wasted no time. Scoring the opening try and igniting the crowd’s excitement with a stunning one-handed gather. A flick inside for Will Jordan’s two tries.

The dynamic fullback could have added a third try to his tally early in the RWC match, but a neck grab by Richie Mo’unga, spotted by the TMO, denied him. However, McKenzie eventually broke through the opposition’s defense in the 20th minute.

Every touch from McKenzie showcased his class and played a role in the All Blacks’ impressive performance. His versatility was evident as he seamlessly transitioned to the fly-half position when Mo’unga left the field. This has undoubtedly created a selection dilemma for Foster. Both Beauden Barrett and McKenzie vie for the coveted starting fullback position. Especially as the tournament reaches its critical phase.

While the All Blacks ultimately found their rhythm and secured a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal spot with 11 tries in the match, their start was marred by errors and inaccuracies. Credit must be given to Uruguay for disrupting New Zealand’s flow in the opening quarter. The Uruguayan side fearlessly tackled and displayed intelligence in their ball usage.

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