France Dominates Italy 45-17 in Six Nations Clash to Keep Grand Slam Hopes Alive

France maintained their perfect Six Nations Championship record with a commanding 45-17 victory over Italy at the Stade de France on Sunday, keeping their Grand Slam aspirations firmly on track with a dominant display in front of 80,000 passionate supporters in Paris.

The French scored six tries in a performance that showcased their attacking flair and defensive intensity, with captain Antoine Dupont orchestrating proceedings from scrum-half with his trademark vision and pace. Damian Penaud crossed twice for Les Bleus, while Gael Fickou, Romain Ntamack, Cameron Woki, and Uini Atonio also touched down in a comprehensive team display.

"We're very pleased with the performance tonight," said France head coach Fabien Galthie. "The players executed our game plan perfectly, and the intensity was there from the first minute to the last. Italy made it difficult early on, but once we found our rhythm, the tries came naturally."

Italy showed early promise and managed two tries through Federico Ruzza and Michele Lamaro, but their discipline cost them dearly as France capitalized on numerous penalty opportunities. The Azzurri's lineout malfunctioned under pressure, providing France with excellent field position that they converted into points with clinical efficiency.

France's dominance was built on their explosive pace out wide and the power of their forward pack, which dominated the scrum and breakdown areas. Dupont's kicking game was particularly effective, pinning Italy deep in their own half and creating the platform for the French backline to exploit space and mismatches.

The victory keeps France top of the Six Nations table with three wins from three matches, setting up a potentially championship-deciding clash with England at Twickenham in two weeks' time. With their Grand Slam dreams intact and confidence flowing through the squad, France appears well-positioned to claim their first championship since 2022. Italy, meanwhile, remains without a win in this year's tournament but showed enough promise to suggest better days lie ahead under coach Kieran Crowley.