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02/22 14:03 CST France grinds past Italy 33-8 to stay on course for back-to-back Six Nations titles France grinds past Italy 33-8 to stay on course for back-to-back Six Nations titles LILLE, France (AP) --- France moved to the brink of back-to-back Six Nations titles after straining to subdue Italy by a flattering 33-8 under the roof in Lille on Sunday. The French have maximum points after three rounds and can clinch the championship with a game to spare with another bonus-point win against its nearest challenger, Scotland, in Edinburgh on March 7. France has not won successive titles since 2006-07. While France's impressive defense was too good for Italy, the attack labored after racking up 13 tries against Ireland and Wales. France was 19-0 ahead inside 30 minutes. But two of the three early tries came from Italy errors, including the opener to winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who became the first man to score a try in eight consecutive matches in the championship's 143-year history. Italy cut the lead to 19-8 by halftime and was in the match but after the break France didn't give Italy a sniff. Italy stalemated France, too, until the 71st minute, when winger Louis Lynagh was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on. It was bad timing. Fullback Ange Capuozzo was off the field treating a shoulder issue and the Italy staff were too slow to replace him. Facing only 13 men and an open backfield, France put the result to bed when Thomas Ramos' kick-pass bounced to right winger Gal Dran for a walk-in try on debut. Ramos also assisted on the fifth and last try for center milien Gailleton. "It was a tough match as expected, very tight, against an opponent who put us under pressure, especially in the rucks," France coach Fabien Galthi said. "At one point it became a real arm wrestle." Italy captain Michele Lamaro lamented their failure to be more clinical in the first half, notably in a 10-minute spell when they had France reeling but missed four chances in the 22, two of them because of defensive pressure by France captain Antoine Dupont. "France were unbelievably good at taking their opportunities, especially in the first half," Lamaro said. "We couldn't build pressure in the second half and that took us to 70 minutes when we got the yellow card. "You are playing one of the best teams in the world, you have to be precise, you have to be concrete and you have to be playing at a high level. There were moments where we had been there but there was a lot of moments where we weren't able to execute enough." France flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert pulled out on Saturday night with a minor calf injury, causing a backline shuffle. Ramos switched to flyhalf, Tho Attisssogbe moved from wing to fullback and Dran was given a debut at 25. The Toulon flyer was the French league's breakout player last season. Dupont took an Italian tap back from a contestable kick and chipped for Bielle-Biarrey to claim the first try in the fourth minute, his fourth try this month, and 24th try in 25 tests. Man-of-the-match lock Emmanuel Meafou then barged over for his first test try. Meafou and Thibaud Flament were recalled to the second row to give the scrum more ballast but Italy still won four scrum penalties from them. "There were a few scrums where we were pushed back a bit but we're happy," Meafou said. An Italy lineout overthrow was claimed by Gailleton, who charged into the Italy 22 and fed Ramos to wriggle over in the left corner. At 19-0 with Ramos' extras, France looked like it might repeat last year's 73-24 win in Rome. But France loosened up and Italy fired back with a Capuozzo try and a Paolo Garbisi penalty. The game was stop-start from there. Italy blew six lineouts and compensated with 16 turnovers. Nobody found a gap until Lynagh's yellow card. "It wasn't our most complete performance," Ramos said. "Italy really fought hard, we were not surprised by their intensity. We have two matches left to go and get the title." ___ AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

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