Six Nations favourites France began their bid for a first title since 2010 with a 37-10 bonus-point win over Italy at a rain-soaked Stade de France on Sunday, as winger Gabin Villiere ran in a hat-trick.
Italy, looking for a first Championship win since 2015 and their first ever victory in Paris, took a surprise lead when teenage debutant Tommaso Menoncello gathered a kick to finish in the corner.
France struck back with Anthony Jelonch and Villiere tries to take an eight-point lead into halftime.
Villiere carved a path through the Italian defence to cross again after the break before Damian Penaud added the bonus-point score, and Villiere dived over for his third with the clock in the red.
“You could tell after 20 minutes we were lacking rugby together. Through the game I thought the boys did well,” France team manager Raphael Ibanez said.
“Five tries and five points is good. Villiere is a warrior. He is a very good finisher. He is a good example for all of his team mates for his spirit.”
France are level with Ireland on five points at the top of the table after the opening round, but ahead of them on points difference going into their meeting in Paris next Saturday.
“For next week we have to step up in every department. Ireland are not fourth in world ranking for nothing, the game they played yesterday was good,” Ibanez added.
Italy face England in Rome next Sunday, where both sides will be looking to respond to opening-day defeats after the English lost their opener in Scotland.
France kicked off the 2022 Six Nations as the bookies’ favourites, having shone in a November win over New Zealand, but they were without head coach Fabien Galthie for the opener following a positive COVID-19 test.
In contrast, not much was expected from an Italy side on a record 32-match Championship losing streak, and Jaminet’s boot soon had the hosts in front.
But the Azzurri, led by coach Kieran Crowley for the first time in the Six Nations, quickly responded when Paolo Garbisi’s cross-field kick was plucked out of the air by 19-year-old Menoncello, who dotted down to become the youngest Six Nations try scorer in 55 years.
An impressive start from Italy was undone when Stephen Varney’s poor pass was intercepted by Jelonch for a simple run-in, and Villiere slid in at the corner in the final act of the first half after Garbisi and Melvyn Jaminet traded penalties.
France increased the pressure in the second half, but had to work hard to break down a stubborn Italian defence.
Gregory Alldritt’s sumptuous knee-high offload sent Villiere through for France’s third try, and Penaud opened up a 20-point lead by exchanging passes with French captain Antoine Dupont to pull the Italian defence apart.
With the clock in the red, Villiere dived in at the corner to become the first Frenchman to score a Six Nations hat-trick since Vincent Clerc against Ireland in 2008.