There are wins that reassure, and others that raise questions. France’s against Italy belongs firmly in the second category. On the scoreboard, there is nothing to say: five points in the bag, a clear-cut success (33-8), and the promise of a historic spring still intact. But out on the grass, not everything was as clear as the score might suggest.

From the opening minutes, France did look as though they wanted to smother any hint of suspense. Precise in the collisions, disciplined in their territorial game, they quickly imposed their power and their tempo (19-0 after 30 minutes). The set piece, particularly at the scrum, laid the foundations for a logical territorial dominance. But that grip, real as it was, never quite turned into absolute control. The proof: the scrum crumbled, swept away by a steel Italian front row.

Because on the other side, Italy are no longer the fragile, resigned team of years gone by. Organised, disciplined and above all free of any inhibitions, the Nazionale put up coherent resistance. Defensively, they slowed France’s ball at the breakdown, poached several crucial possessions and, above all, forced France to string together phase after phase without always finding the gap. That ability to stay in the match despite constant pressure says a great deal about the progress of a side that is now credible.

On the French side, the intentions were there, but the execution often lacked sharpness. It stuttered more than once. Several imprecise passes, support arriving late and sometimes rushed decisions broke up sequences that had looked promising. In trying too hard to force destiny, France left themselves exposed to their own sloppiness. That kind of edginess, unusual of late, no doubt says something about the weight of expectation that now goes with every France outing.

Air pocket

Because this group lives with a new kind of pressure, that of a team everyone expects to be at the top. Every match is watched, dissected, compared. And in that context, the slightest imprecision becomes visible, almost amplified. France dominated, yes. But they never completely crushed their opponents, as their potential might suggest they could, and even let an air pocket drag on.

Italy, for their part, played without inhibition. Almost at their own tempo, between the 30th and the 65th minute. Their commitment in the contact areas, their willingness to counter-attack with certain balls and their overall discipline long prevented the match from tipping over for good. Even when behind, they never went under, keeping a coherent defensive structure and an exemplary attitude. That combative face confirms an underlying trend: the Squaddra are learning, improving, and are no longer simply a victim announced in advance. Even if Cappuozzo’s try owed more to French carelessness than to a planned Italian attack.

Patience and consistency

Galthié’s men, meanwhile, ended up making their depth and their power tell. As so often. Their bench, the stronger of the two, allowed them to accelerate in the final quarter of an hour and secure a bonus-point win. But that more controlled finish should not hide the grey areas seen earlier.

This success, precious in the race for the Grand Slam, confirms France’s solidity. It is also a reminder that the margin, if it exists, remains fragile. To aim for the summit and clear the Murrayfield hurdle, France will need to rediscover more precision, more patience and more consistency. Because the tests to come will not forgive this kind of sloppiness.

The moral: they won, and that is what matters. But they now know that the road to perfection remains a demanding one. And that, behind them, some nations, Italy first among them, are moving faster than expected.