France grinds past Italy 33-8 to stay on course for back-to-back Six Nations titles

LILLE, France (AP) — France moved to the brink of back-to-back Six Nations titles after straining to subdue Italy by a flattering 33-8 under the roof in Lille on Sunday.

The French have maximum points after three rounds and can clinch the championship with a game to spare with another bonus-point win against its nearest challenger, Scotland, in Edinburgh on March 7.

France has not won successive titles since 2006-07.

While France's impressive defense was too good for Italy, the attack labored after racking up 13 tries against Ireland and Wales.

France was 19-0 ahead inside 30 minutes. But two of the three early tries came from Italy errors, including the opener to winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who became the first man to score a try in eight consecutive matches in the championship's 143-year history.

Italy cut the lead to 19-8 by halftime and was in the match but after the break France didn't give Italy a sniff. Italy stalemated France, too, until the 71st minute, when winger Louis Lynagh was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.

It was bad timing. Fullback Ange Capuozzo was off the field treating a shoulder issue and the Italy staff were too slow to replace him.

Facing only 13 men and an open backfield, France put the result to bed when Thomas Ramos' kick-pass bounced to right winger Gaël Dréan for a walk-in try on debut. Ramos also assisted on the fifth and last try for center Émilien Gailleton.

“It was a tough match as expected, very tight, against an opponent who put us under pressure, especially in the rucks,” France coach Fabien Galthié said. “At one point it became a real arm wrestle.”

Italy captain Michele Lamaro lamented their failure to be more clinical in the first half, notably in a 10-minute spell when they had France reeling but missed four chances in the 22, two of them because of defensive pressure by France captain Antoine Dupont.

“France were unbelievably good at taking their opportunities, especially in the first half,” Lamaro said. "We couldn't build pressure in the second half and that took us to 70 minutes when we got the yellow card.

“You are playing one of the best teams in the world, you have to be precise, you have to be concrete and you have to be playing at a high level. There were moments where we had been there but there was a lot of moments where we weren't able to execute enough.”

France flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert pulled out on Saturday night with a minor calf injury, causing a backline shuffle. Ramos switched to flyhalf, Théo Attisssogbe moved from wing to fullback and Dréan was given a debut at 25. The Toulon flyer was the French league's breakout player last season.

Dupont took an Italian tap back from a contestable kick and chipped for Bielle-Biarrey to claim the first try in the fourth minute, his fourth try this month, and 24th try in 25 tests.

Man-of-the-match lock Emmanuel Meafou then barged over for his first test try. Meafou and Thibaud Flament were recalled to the second row to give the scrum more ballast but Italy still won four scrum penalties from them.

“There were a few scrums where we were pushed back a bit but we're happy,” Meafou said.

An Italy lineout overthrow was claimed by Gailleton, who charged into the Italy 22 and fed Ramos to wriggle over in the left corner. At 19-0 with Ramos' extras, France looked like it might repeat last year's 73-24 win in Rome.

But France loosened up and Italy fired back with a Capuozzo try and a Paolo Garbisi penalty.

The game was stop-start from there. Italy blew six lineouts and compensated with 16 turnovers. Nobody found a gap until Lynagh’s yellow card.

“It wasn't our most complete performance,” Ramos said. “Italy really fought hard, we were not surprised by their intensity. We have two matches left to go and get the title.”

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

France's Charles Ollivon, center, hold s the ball during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Italy in Lille, France, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

France's Gaël Dréan on his way to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Italy in Lille, France, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Italy's Leonardo Marin, center, is tackled by France's Charles Ollivon during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Italy in Lille, France, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

France's Emmanuel Meafou, left, scores a try as Italy's Louis Lynagh tries to defend during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Italy in Lille, France, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

France's Emilien Gailleton, right, goes over to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Italy in Lille, France, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Carmen Mlodzinski allowed two hits over a career-high six innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Washington Nationals 2-0 on Wednesday night.

Mlodzinski (1-0) took over for opener Mason Montgomery in the second and struck out five against two walks to lower his ERA to 1.77. Dennis Santana worked the ninth for his second save.

Ryan O'Hearn had three hits for the Pirates, who have won 10 of 14. Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales had first-inning RBI singles against Jake Irvin (1-2), and it proved to be enough as four pitchers combined for Pittsburgh's second shutout in less than a week.

Mlodzinski began this season as a full-fledged starter for the first time in his four-year career after bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen last season.

While he was excellent through his first three turns in 2026, manager Don Kelly opted to give the ball to the left-handed Montgomery in the first inning on Wednesday in hopes of dealing with the left-hand-heavy top of Washington's lineup while also allowing Mlodzinski to work deeper into the game.

Montgomery allowed a one-out double to Curtis Mead. Mead advanced to third on a groundout but stopped there after Montgomery fanned Brady House to end the inning.

It would be as close as the Nationals, whose 99 runs through 17 games coming in were tied for the best offensive start in franchise history, would get to scoring all night.

Mlodzinski entered in the top of the second and hit CJ Abrams before settling down. His only real spot of trouble came in the fifth, when a single and a walk put two on with one out. He retired James Wood on a long flyout to left and then forced Mead into a grounder to third to end the threat.

The four-game series wraps up on Thursday. Foster Griffin (2-0, 1.76 ERA) starts for the Nationals against Pittsburgh's Braxton Ashcraft (1-1, 2.12).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Pittsburgh Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn, right, returns to the dugout after celebrating with Nick Yorke after scoring on a single by Nick Gonzales off Washington Nationals pitcher Jake Irvin during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Marcell Ozuna celebrates as he stands on first base after driving in a run with a single off Washington Nationals pitcher Jake Irvin during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)