Match Facts

France have won 22 of their 25 clashes with Italy in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, the exceptions being losses in 2011 and 2013 and a draw last year.

France have led at halftime in 24 of their 25 games against Italy in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, including each of their 12 clashes on Italian soil, only failing to do so in 2006; France have also scored at least one try in each of their 25 fixtures against the Azzurri in the Championship, Wales are the only other side to have managed that.

Italy have won their last two home games in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, it is the second time they have managed this feat (2012-13), but they’ve never won three in a row; overall they’ve lost just one of their last five matches in the Championship (W3 D1), this after just one win in 44 efforts between 2015 and 2024.

France suffered defeat to England in Round 2 (26-25) of this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations, they’ve not lost consecutive matches in the Championship, however, since a three-game run across the 2018 and 2019 campaigns.

France have conceded just 1.7 points per entry into their 22 on average in this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations, the best record of any side, Italy have conceded the most (3.6), conversely France have also scored the most points per entry into the opposition 22, averaging 3.1 points per foray so far, Italy have the second worst rate (1.8, Wales 1.5).

France have given away just 11 penalties across their two matches at this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations, the best disciplinary record of any nation, however they are the only side to have someone shown a red card (Romain Ntamack v Wales).

Louis Bielle-Biarrey has scored in five consecutive Tests for France (8 tries total) and has scored 14 in 16 caps overall since making his debut in August 2023 – among Tier 1 men’s players, only Will Jordan (15) has scored more in that time.

Damian Penaud beat six defenders against England in Round 2, taking his overall Guinness Men’s Six Nations tally to 100 (same as Gael Fickou), only Duhan van der Merwe (102), Rob Kearney (104), George North (142), Stuart Hogg (162) and Brian O’Driscoll (163) have beaten more in the Championship; Penaud is now just one try away from equaling Serge Blanco (38) as France’s all-time top try scorer (37 currently).

Italian duo Danilo Fischetti and Niccolo Cannone will win their 50th caps if they appear in this match, both players made their debut for the Azzurri in a chastening 42-0 defeat to Wales in Round 1 of the 2020 Guinness Men’s Six Nations.

Italy’s Federico Ruzza has won 14 lineouts in the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations so far, five more than any other player, and 11 more than any other Italian player (Lorenzo and Niccolo Cannone, 3 each), nine of his 14 catches have come at the front, four in the middle and one at the back.