Fabien Galthié's side face Italy in what is virtually a winner-takes-all clash in Pool A
It all comes down to this. Here are our France v Italy predictions with the winners heading into the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
Les Bleus are coming off a bye week while the Azzurri were thumped by New Zealand but there’s plenty to play for in this final Pool A encounter in Lyon.
Read more: How to watch France v Italy wherever you are
France v Italy predictions
Josh Graham: France by 25. It would be an unmitigated disaster if Fabien Galthié’s France failed to make the quarter-finals of their own World Cup. Thankfully, Italy’s disastrous showing against the All Blacks means that a repeat of England 2015 should be unlikely.
The half-back partnership of Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert is new to the international side but tried and tested in the Top 14. Together they should be able to marshal a side that contains more than enough ammunition to end Kieran Crowley’s Italy reign here and book a last-eight clash.
Alan Dymock: France by 35. Bizarrely, after dispatching the All Blacks, France are left needing to win this. But they also have some baggage in a poor performance against Uruguay and the shock of losing Antoine Dupont (for a potentially short period) against Namibia. So I expect an efficient display, job done. Onto the quarters.
Kick Off Time 8pm BST – 9pm Local –Friday 6th October
TV Channel ITV1 (UK) – How To Watch The Rugby World Cup
Venue Olympique Lyonnais Stadium, Lyon
Capacity: 59,186
Fun Fact: A Ligue Magnus ice hockey game between Lyon and Grenoble held at the Parc Olimpique Lyonnais on 30 December 2016 holds the all-time record for an ice hockey match held in France – with 25,142 in the stadium that day.
France form
Beat Namibia
Beat Uruguay
Beat New Zealand
Beat Australia
Beat Fiji
Italy form
Lost to New Zealand
Beat Uruguay
Beat Namibia
Beat Japan
Beat Romania
FRANCE v ITALY HEAD-TO-HEAD RESULTS
France have won 44 of 47 test matches against Italy, dating back to the first on 17 October, 1937. Italy’s last win came in Rome during the 2013 Six Nations, 14 matches ago.
France v Italy team news
Read more: France Rugby World Cup squad
FRANCE Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu; Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio; Cameron Woki, Thibaud Flament; Anthony Jelonch, Charles Ollivon (captain), Grégory Alldritt
Replacements: Pierre Bourgarit, Reda Wardi, Dorian Aldegheri, Romain Taofifenua, François Cros, Baptiste Couilloud, Yoram Moefana, Melvyn Jaminet
Related: Italy Rugby World Cup squad
ITALY Ange Capuozzo; Pierre Bruno, Juan Ignacio Brex, Paolo Garbisi, Montanna Ioane; Tommaso Allan, Stephen Varney; Simone Ferrari, Hame Faiva, Pietro Ceccarelli; Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza; Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro (captain), Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements: Marco Manfredi, Federico Zani, Marco Riccioni, David Sisi, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Fusco, Luca Morisi, Lorenzo Pani
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