Campo injury scare for Italy

By Mark Stevens
11/3/17

Exeter Chiefs will await a fitness update on Michele Campagnaro after he was forced off during Italy's 40-18 defeat at home to France in the RBS Six Nations Championship.

The talented centre came off just past the hour mark, looking in pain after picking up a shoulder injury as attempted to thwart a French attack.

Up until that point the 23-year-old had again impressed for the Azzurri, but he was unable to stop a dominant French outfit from victory at the Stadio Olympicio in Rome.

Italy skipper Sergio Parisse scored the quickest try of the 2017 tournament, but Gael Fickou's score helped the visitors lead 16-11 at the break.

Victor Vakatawa, Louis Picamoles and Brice Dulin also crossed for Les Bleus, with Camille Lopez kicking 20 points, as France avoided a sixth straight away defeat.

Italy's second try came through Angelo Esposito with Carlo Canna kicking the remainder of their points with a conversion and two penalties.

Post-match, skipper Parisse highlighted Italy's struggles late in games as they fell to a fourth defeat of the RBS 6 Nations, a result which condemned them to the wooden spoon.

He said: "In the last 20 minutes we conceded points. Those are the details that change a game: perhaps if the Bronzini try had been given that might have changed things.

"The result is heavy at the end. Straight afterwards it's difficult, but when you concede 40 points it's hard. On the one-on-ones they put us under pressure, the same in the scrums, we weren't good enough.

"We're a mirror image of Italian rugby, we have strengths but also weaknesses. It's difficult to draw conclusions straight after the game. No one came off the pitch without giving their all."

Head coach Conor O'Shea agreed with his captain that Parisse that there is still a lot of work to do, but the Irishman felt that Italy were not too far off but had just come up against a strong French side.

He said: "It's difficult to talk after the game. They are a good side. Our path is still hard but with passion and desire we can change things. The result is what it is, even if we did well today."