SIX NATIONS NEWS:SCRUMHALF PAUL Griffen has recovered from a rib injury, enabling Italy coach Nick Mallett to name an unchanged side for their final Six Nations game against France tomorrow. Mallett has stuck with the line-up that produced their best display so far this year in losing 20-15 to champions Wales at the Stadio Flaminio last weekend.
Italy will be looking for a first Six Nations win over France but even that would be unlikely to save them from the wooden spoon after they lost their first three games to England, Ireland and Scotland heavily.
Griffen said the Azzurri would be aiming to be more ruthless in attack after scoring only one try in the tournament so far. “We had four good opportunities to score tries against Wales that we didn’t take,” he said yesterday.
“It comes down to being a bit more cynical, putting a little polish on the work we’re doing. We want to finish on a high and that means going across the chalk.”
The French will have a point to prove after last week’s 34-10 thrashing in England. “They’ll try to react in a positive way to what was uncovered last weekend,” Griffen said. “Our main goal is to try and nullify as much as we can, especially their counter-attacks. Hopefully we’ll be able to suck up whatever the French bring and spit it back at them.”
France fullback Damien Traille will not be satisfied with just a victory against Italy. Traille was one of the few players to emerge with any credit from the wreckage of Les Bleus’ defeat to England.
Traille insists that embarrassing reverse must be consigned to the dustbin and is demanding his team-mates rediscover their elan in a fixture that has historically seen France pile on the points. “We must lift our heads,” said the Biarritz centre, who will play out of position at number 15 this weekend.
“It’s not easy considering what has just happened but we have to forget about it quickly because this match will come up on us.
“We must not only win but do it in a certain manner. We must see to it that we get back our free spirit in attack and defence, and play as a team.”
Meanwhile England’s Riki Flutey has set his sights on making rugby history this summer by becoming the first man ever to play for and against the British and Irish Lions.
The former New Zealand Maori representative came off the bench for Wellington in a 23-6 defeat to Clive Woodward’s Lions in 2005 before pursuing a club career in the English Premiership.
Flutey has become increasingly influential in Martin Johnson’s England team since making his debut in November after completing a three-year residency period. And after scoring twice in last Sunday’s 34-10 demolition of France, the Wasps centre is now being talked about as a potential candidate for the 2009 Lions tour to South Africa.
Lions head coach Ian McGeechan – Flutey’s boss at Wasps – will finalise the make-up of his touring party next month.
Flutey said: “I am all about playing consistently good rugby for England and if I can keep that up then hopefully other things will fall into place.
“Every player playing in the Six Nations who is eligible for the Lions, I am sure, has it in the back of their minds because at the end of the day it is the ultimate goal.
“In 2005 I played against the Lions for Wellington and that was a fantastic occasion. The Lions are well respected and it is huge in New Zealand. I remember as a kid my father had all the old Lions tapes.”
ITALY(v France, Stadio Flaminnio, tomorrow): A Marcato; G Rubini, G Canale, Mi Bergamasco, M Pratichetti; L McLean, P Griffen; S Perugini, L Ghiraldini, C Nieto, S Dellape, M Bortolami, A Zanni, Ma Bergamasco, S Parisse. Replacements: F Sbaraglini, M Castrogiovanni, C Del Fava, J Sole, P Canavosio, L Orquera, R Quartaroli.
