6 Nations: Wales keep title hopes alive, Italy clinch late win

Sport360 staff 01:24 01/03/2015
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  • George North evades an opponent during Wales game against France in Paris.

    Wales kept their Six Nations hopes alive with a fourth straight victory over France as they triumphed 20-13 at the Stade de France on Saturday.

    It was their second successive win in Paris and means they are still in the mix for overall Six Nations glory, despite having lost to England in their opening match.

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    For France, who were loudly jeered at the final whistle, it was yet another disappointing performance and leaves their Six Nations hopes in tatters after a second straight loss.

    They will do well to beat last year's fourth-placed finish at this rate, particularly with trips to Rome and Twickenham to come.

    Wales went in front from a Leigh Halfpenny penalty after Romain Taofifenua was pinged for going to ground at the breakdown.

    France responded with some long-forgotten flair but Yoann Huget couldn't control Camille Lopez's cross-kick.

    Dan Biggar scores his sides opening try despite the attention of Brice Dulin.

    Remi Lamerat went off with a hamstring problem and the barrel-chested Bastareaud joined the fray after just 18 minutes, just as Lopez kicked France level after Wales went offside.

    France should have gone into half-time level but Lopez badly missed a very kickable penalty.

    In an uninspiring first half, France had made 77 tackles to Wales's 22 yet still came far closer to scoring a try.

    France changed kicker at the start of then second half but Morgan Parra fared no better, missing his first penalty attempt.

    The pressure paid off and with kicking duties restored to him, Lopez notched a penalty from right in front of the posts.

    Within minutes Wales were back in front as Halfpenny kicked his third penalty.

    The tide seemed to have turned and Dan Biggar was unlucky to hit the post with a drop-goal attempt as Wales camped in French territory.

    Leigh Halfpenny attempts to convert Dan Biggar's try during their game against France in Paris.

    They made their pressure count, though, as Rhys Webb sold a dummy to Taofifenua before Dan Lydiate's delightful no-look offload allowed Biggar to sprint into the corner.

    Although Halfpenny missed the extras, he then landed a penalty as Wales stretched their lead out to 17-6.

    But, after 10 minutes of total Welsh domination, France did manage to get back on the front foot and Dulin slid over in the corner with Lopez landing the difficult conversion from right out on the touchline.

    A penalty try with just 28 seconds left on the clock earned Italy only their second ever Six Nations win on the road in a tense contest at Murrayfield.

    Sergio Parisse of Italy celebrates after beating Scotland in Murrayfield.

    The Italians were trailing 19-15 and facing their third defeat of the season when Irish referee George Clancy awarded them their third try of the game after the backpedalling Scotland pack pulled down a threatening maul close to the home line.

    That put Sergio Parisse's side ahead 20-19 but, for good measure, replacement stand-off Tommaso Allan added the conversion to confirm a third defeat out of three this season for Scotland, the country he represented at age group level.

    Italy's only other Six Nations victory away from home also came at Scotland's expense, a 37-17 success in 2007.

    When the Italian achieved that famous victory they were 21-0 up inside the opening six minutes.

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