France Takes on Italy in Six Nations Rugby Championship

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The Six Nations rugby championship is heating up, with France taking on Italy in Rome on Sunday. France is looking to stay in touch with Ireland, who are currently unbeaten, ahead of a crucial clash in Dublin next month that could decide the destination of the championship. Les Bleus trail Ireland by four points after a frustrating defeat at Twickenham a fortnight ago ended their Grand Slam hopes. France head coach Fabien Galthie has made some bold choices for the trip to the Italian capital, including moving Thomas Ramos to flyhalf to partner star man Antoine Dupont in the half-back positions.

Galthie has also selected seven forwards as replacements, a tactic that he believes will be effective against Italy. Theo Attissogbe starts on the wing in place of Damian Penaud, who will have to wait for his record-equalling 38th try for France after being dropped following a poor display against England. Italy, under the guidance of Gonzalo Quesada, has won three of seven Six Nations matches and will be looking to cause an upset against France. The Azzurri beat Wales in awful conditions a fortnight ago, showcasing a new level of pragmatism and boosting their chances of avoiding the wooden spoon for the second year in a row.

The match will also be a chance to honour Azzurri great Sergio Parisse, the only Italian player to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Parisse, who played 142 times for Italy between 2002 and 2019, will walk out onto the Stadio Olimpico pitch one more time in front of two sets of fans who will have warm memories of his career. For Italy, Tommaso Allan is the leading points-scorer after two rounds, and his boot will once again play a crucial role for his side. Upfront forward duo Danilo Fischetti and Niccolo Cannone celebrate their 50th appearance for Italy and would hope it ends on a positive note.

For France, Thomas Ramos, as the third-choice flyhalf, will be under pressure, but he is an experienced No. 10 who should rise to the occasion. Louis Bielle-Biarrey has scored in five consecutive Tests for France, and has scored 14 in 16 caps overall since making his debut in August 2023. The teams are as follows:

• Italy: 15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (captain), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1 Danilo Fischetti
• France: 15 Leo Barre, 14 Theo Attissogbe, 13 Pierre-Louis Barassi, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Thomas Ramos, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Gregory Alldritt, 7 Paul Boudehent, 6 François Cros, 5 Mickaël Guillard, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros

The match is scheduled to take place on Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, with kick-off at 16.00 (15.00 GMT). The referee for the match will be Karl Dickson from England, with Craig Evans from Wales and Eoghan Cross from Ireland as assistant referees. The tournament is heating up, and this match is sure to be an exciting one.

Prediction: France by 12 points. The Six Nations championship is one of the most prestigious rugby tournaments in the world, and this match is sure to be a thrilling encounter between two talented teams. With the teams ready and the stage set, it's time to see who will come out on top in this exciting clash.

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