Italy came tantalizingly close to securing a historic victory against France in a thrilling match during the Six Nations 2024 tournament. Paolo Garbisi’s injury-time penalty, which hit the post, denied Italy their first-ever win against France in the Six Nations, resulting in a 13-13 draw. This outcome left Italian fans feeling both proud of their team’s performance and disappointed at the missed opportunity.
The atmosphere at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille was charged as the two teams battled it out. France took an early lead with a try from Charles Ollivon. However, Italy managed to stay in touch, thanks to penalties from Martin Page-Relo and Paolo Garbisi, despite being dominated early in the game. The match took an unexpected turn when French centre Jonathan Danty received a red card for a high tackle, leaving France with only 14 players for the remainder of the game.
As the match entered injury time with a tied score of 13-13, Paolo Garbisi had the chance to secure a historic win for Italy with a penalty. However, a rushed attempt due to the shot clock led to the ball hitting the post, leaving Italian fans heartbroken. In an interview with ITV Sport, Garbisi expressed sorrow for his missed opportunity and took full responsibility for it, stating, “It is part of my job to put the kick over, I take full responsibility for that. I am sorry for the team and all the supporters – it is my bad and I will work on it.”
Italy’s head coach, Gonzalo Quesada, shared his thoughts on the missed penalty, expressing both pride in his team’s performance and disappointment at the missed opportunity. “Of course, having a draw in France is a hell of a result for us. But, on the other hand, we know the boys did the job to win and the way it finished is a pity, but I am proud of the boys and I think they will use this to keep on growing. It was a great game from our team,” he said.
On the other side, France’s defence coach, Shaun Edwards, acknowledged that the team was fortunate that Garbisi missed the kick but expressed disappointment at the draw. “We are fortunate the guy missed the kick, but we are disappointed with a draw. We were expected to beat Italy here today,” he said in an interview with ITV Sport.
The draw means that Italy’s victory in Cardiff two years ago remains their only championship win in their last 45 attempts. Despite their struggles, Italy’s performance against France was commendable, and the team will use this experience to continue growing and improving. The 13-13 draw against France serves as a testament to Italy’s progress in international rugby and their ability to compete at the highest level.
As the Six Nations tournament progresses, Italy remains bottom of the table and will host Scotland next on 9th March. On the other hand, France, who currently sit in fourth place, will travel to Cardiff to play against Wales on 10th March. With an electrifying match against France behind them, Italy is eager to continue their journey and secure victories in the upcoming matches.