Twickenham: France’s record points scorer Frederic Michalak snared another harvest Saturday as his country opened their World Cup campaign with a clear 32-10 win over Italy.
The veteran fly-half set up the first try of the match for prop Rabah Slimani and licked 19 points in the important win.
Replacement prop Nicolas Mas scored France’s only other try 11 minutes from time. That left them two tries short of a bonus point and already behind Pool D rivals Ireland.
“It was no easy. Italy were tenacious,” said French coach Philippe Saint-Andre, who already knows he will leave at the end of the tournament.
“It was an important victory. Clearly we would have liked the four tries to get the bonus point which would have been the cherry on the cake. But it was a positive day.”
Italy, thrashed 29-0 by France in the Six Nations tournament, were without talisman captain and No. 8 Sergio Parisse who was kept out by a leg injury sustained in a warm-up match against Wales.
There were few moments of inspiration from either side in a first half which ended with France 15-3 in front, all the points coming from penalties.
Michalak saw one 38-metre effort came back off the post before he made it 3-0 in the seventh minute.
France, in their change strip of red, appeared to have scored a try. But for the second day in a row at Twickenham, it was chalked off amid controversy involving the use of the television match official.
A loose pass rebounded off Italy’s Leonardo Sarto and was gathered by France wing Noa Nakaitaci.
Referee Craig Joubert awarded the try and France were just about to take the conversion when the official looked at the giant screen to see that Nakaitaci had knocked on.
Michalak’s ensuing penalty was some consolation for France while Italy fly-half Tommasso Allan pulled a kickable penalty wide.
Italy lost experienced centre Andrew Masi with an Achilles injury.
Italy were called up for a scrum infringement but Michalak again hit the left post with his penalty.
A stray Italian hand in the ruck gave Michalak another chance and, from 35 metres, this kick sailed between the posts to make it 9-0.
Allan eventually opened Italy’s account with a 33rd-minute penalty
Another Italian scrum collapse gave France a penalty just inside their own half and full-back Scott Spedding, the long-range kick specialist, landed a superb effort to to make it 12-3.
Michalak kicked his side into a 12-point lead and his fifth successful penalty nudged France 18-3 in front early in the second half.
France finally scored their first try in the 44th minute.
Nakaitaci’s burst down the touchline saw him release Guilhem Guirado, with the hooker hauled down by the posts.
The ball was recycled and Michalak’s kick from five metres out was regathered by Slimani for the front row’s first Test try.
Michalak converted and France were well clear at 25-3.
Italy hit back with a 52nd-minute try when, after Sarto went close, a quick ball allowed Italy wing Giovanbattista Venditti to race over on the right.
Allan converted and France’s lead had been cut to 25-10.
France then saw wing Yoann Huget, visibly in pain, limp off with what appeared to be a severe hamstring injury.
It needed a typically hard-charging run from powerful France centre Mathieu Bastareaud to set up the position from which Mas placed the ball at the base of the post for the second try.
Saint-Andre said Huget’s “serious” injury was the only dark spot on the day.
“Now we have to concentrate on the next match against Romania on Wednesday. It will be their first match so we have to rest and recuperate.”
