AP Sports Writer (AP) — Convinced the New Zealand walloping is firmly behind them, Italy’s players must find a way to beat rampant host France at the Rugby World Cup on Friday.
The winner-takes-all pool match in Lyon is for a place in the quarterfinals. France is 3-0, has already beaten New Zealand, and has had two weeks to prepare for Italy since hammering Namibia 96-0 for its highest ever score.
With only one week to process out the humiliating 96-17 battering by the All Blacks, Italy coach Kieran Crowley saved some time with a soul-cleansing fire ceremony.
“Kieran brought us in and we needed to get our confidence back so we did this thing where we chucked our thoughts into the fire,” Italy scrumhalf Stephen Varney said on Wednesday. “Basically, we just wrote our thoughts on a piece of paper and just chucked it into the fire. I think it was a good way of forgetting about it and moving on. Because I don’t think that performance defined us as a team.”
What’s a better definition of Italy, then?
Perhaps the defiant and daring 29-24 loss to France in Rome during the Six Nations this year.
“The last match in Rome was difficult for us,” France coach Fabien Galthie said. “We’re going up against a wounded team, and we’re expecting a very strong reaction from them. We’ve no doubt that Italy won’t play the same way as they did against New Zealand. No doubt a higher level of commitment and fewer missed tackles.”
Crowley, a former fullback who won the inaugural Rugby World Cup with New Zealand in 1987, knows what the highest level demands. He also blamed himself for his players falling short last week.
“If I look at last week, on reflection, on my behalf we lost the process,” Crowley said. “You are playing one of the best teams in the world and then suddenly things start going wrong. So, yeah, I was very concerned the way it unravelled. But we’ve moved on.”
He expects a sharp response from his team.
“Your confidence is knocked and how do you regain that? Well, by getting back to the process and having self-belief,” Crowley said. “We will see how we’ve done on Friday night.”
It’s a mighty task ahead: France has won 44 of their 47 encounters, including the past 13.
Galthie made only two changes from the Namibia rout, with Maxime Lucu at scrumhalf for the injured Antoine Dupont and Gregory Alldritt back in at No. 8. Anthony Jelonch switches to flanker and takes the spot of Francois Cros, who is among the reserves in place of Paul Boudehent.
Lucu resumes his club pairing alongside Bordeaux Begles teammate Matthieu Jalibert.
“We play for the same club, so bonds are formed, a bit like Antoine and Romain (Ntamack) at Stade Toulousain (Toulouse),” Lucu said. “Starting alongside each other is a big deal for both of us.”
But it is a backup halves pairing for France, as Jalibert is a starter only because Ntamack sustained a knee injury in a Rugby World Cup warmup match.
Flanker Charles Ollivon will captain the team in Dupont’s absence.
Dupont rejoined the squad on Sunday, 10 days after surgery to repair a facial fracture sustained in an illegal head-on-head tackle against Namibia. Widely considered the world’s best player, Dupont is training lightly with major hurdles still to clear before he can possibly play again at the tournament.
Right winger Damian Penaud is on a six-game try-scoring streak and has 33 tries overall for France. Only Vincent Clerc (34) and Serge Blanco (38) have more.
Crowley changed the front row and switched his best backs around.
Props Simone Ferrari and Pietro Ceccarelli and hooker Epalahame Faiva are selected, and Niccolo Cannone returns to lock alongside Federico Ruzza.
Pierre Bruno starts on the right wing, with Tommaso Allan moving back to flyhalf after starting at fullback against New Zealand.
Paolo Garbisi is back at inside center from No. 10, while Ange Capuozzo returns to fullback after playing three of his past four tests on the right wing.
“Ange is an X-factor player. France have a long kicking game, so he will get some opportunities to build some attacks,” Crowley said. “The rest of the team will need to get around him because they have a kicking game where they kick, and then they leave four players upfield and they try to smother you.”
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Lineups:
France: Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, Gaël Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu; Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon (captain), Anthony Jelonch, Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki, Uini Atonio, Peato Mauvaka, Cyril Baille. Reserves: Pierre Bourgarit, Réda Wardi, Dorian Aldegheri, Romain Taofifenua, Francois Cros, Baptiste Couilloud, Yoram Moefana, Melvyn Jaminet.
Italy: Ange Capuozzo, Pierre Bruno, Juan Ignacio Brex, Paolo Garbisi, Montanna Ioane, Tommaso Allan, Stephen Varney; Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro (captain), Sebastian Negri, Federico Ruzza, Niccolo Cannone, Pietro Ceccarelli, Hame Faiva, Simone Ferrari. Reserves: Marco Manfredi, Federico Zani, Marco Riccioni, David Sisi, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Fusco, Luca Morisi, Lorenzo Pani.
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