LYON, France (Reuters) – Hosts France marched confidently into the World Cup quarter-finals as Pool A winners with an emphatic 60-7 bonus-point victory over a battle-scarred Italy in a festival atmosphere at OL Stadium on Friday.
Winger Damian Penaud scored a try in the second minute to settle any nerves over the absence of injured skipper Antoine Dupont and added his second before halftime to move above Vincent Clerc as France’s second most prolific try-scorer.
Fullback Thomas Ramos scored a try and kicked 15 points, Yoram Moefana grabbed a brace and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Matthieu Jalibert and Peato Mauvaka also crossed as France racked up their biggest win in 48 meetings with their neighbours.
Italy, looking to reach the knockout stages for the first time but bereft of confidence after a 96-17 loss to New Zealand last week, were 24-0 down before their first attack and had to settle for a late consolation try from Manuel Zuliani.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Ken Ferris)
