Cyrielle Banet scored two tries as France Women bounced back from Sunday’s opening defeat to England with a 45-10 bonus-point success over Italy in Limoges.
Les Bleues went down to the Azzurre away in Padua a year ago, but made amends in some style with Audrey Forlani getting them up and running with a try after just five minutes.
Banet added two more in the first half, including a length-of-the-field effort, before Julie Annery went over for the bonus-point try shortly after half-time. They notched up two more late on, a penalty try and a snipe from Laure Sansus to seal a comprehensive victory.
Sara Barattin had got an intercept score right before the break for Italy, but they could not make it two wins from two following last week’s win in Wales.
France got off to the perfect start as they forced their way into the Italy 22 where Forlani was able to power over. The second row picked and drove from a ruck in front of the posts and went clean through, with Jessy Trémoulière’s conversion making it 7-0.
The full-back added a penalty from a scrum penalty on 12 minutes, before quick hands in the back line put Banet in for her first. Pauline Bourdon, Nassira Kondé and Trémoulière drew their opposite numbers perfectly allowing the winger to go over. From the touchline, Trémoulière slotted the extras to make it 17-0.
Italy got on the board following a high tackle in the France 22, Michela Sillari knocking over the penalty, and having struggled for ball early on, they started to build some territory.
However it was on their next attack that Forlani turned the ball over. The ball was quickly shifted to the wing where Banet showed remarkable pace as she got around Giada Franco, with the help of a strong fend, before turning Elisa Giordano in and out for a try from her own 22. Trémoulière again converted.
They were desperate to secure the bonus point before half-time, and plugged away in search of the score, but Italy defended well before Barattin picked off a pass on her 22 and raced the length for the Azzurre. Sillari’s conversion made it 24-10 at the break.
France started the second half as they had the first, with Annery going over for the fourth try from a rolling maul and Trémoulière again adding the extras.
Both teams struggled with their lineout, but France were on top in the scrum and used that to get a fifth try. It came as they marched Italy back over their own line, and while Sofia Stefan grounded the ball first, she did so from an offside position, earning a yellow card and conceding a penalty try.
And they had the final say when Sansus burrowed her way over off the back of a ruck, Pauline Bourdon taking on kicking duties to slot the conversion and round out the success.
