Italy vs France LIVE rugby: Six Nations 2023 latest updates

Italy, meanwhile, begin their campaign without a handful of key names, with Toa Halafihi injured, wing Monty Ioane otherwise engaged with the Rebels in his native Melbourne and Paolo Garbisi still a week or two away from full fitness.

With no Garbisi, Tommaso Allan gets another opportunity to convert solid Harlequins form into a productive performance after a very good showing against Australia in the autumn, while Ange Capuozzo and Tommaso Menoncello will provide plenty of fresh-faced threat out wide.

Up front, Lorenzo Cannone is the beneficiary of Halafihi’s absence at number eight, with a six-two bench split evidence of Italy’s considerable back row depth. Lock Edoardo Iachizzi awaits a debut.

Italy: 15. Ange Capuozzo; 14. Pierre Bruno, 13. Juan Ignacio Brex, 12. Luca Morisi, 11. Tommaso Menoncello; 10. Tommaso Allan, 9. Stephen Varney; 1. Danilo Fischetti, 2. Giacomo Nicotera, 3. Simone Ferrari, 4. Niccolo Cannone, 5. Federico Ruzza, 6. Sebastian Negri, 7. Michele Lamaro (capt), 8. Lorenzo Cannone.

Replacements: 16. Luca Bigi, 17. Federico Zani, 18. Pietro Ceccarelli, 19. Edoardo Iachizzi, 20. Giovanni Pettinelli, 21. Manuel Zuliani, 22. Alessandro Fusco, 23. Edoardo Padovani.

An unbeaten 2022 gives way to a vital 2023 for France, with a defence of their Grand Slam crown and a home World Cup to come later in the year. Like counterpart Kieran Crowley, Fabien Galthie is shorn of a handful of influential figures, with Cameron Woki and Jonathan Danty leaving sizeable schematic holes in the second row and centres respectively.

Gabin Villiere is back ahead of schedule but not quite ready to return to action just yet, which grants a debut for Ethan Dumortier on the left wing. The versatile Yoram Moefana wears 12 while Thomas Ramos gets the nod ahead of Toulouse teammate Melvyn Jaminet at full back.

The form of Cyril Baille will be a slight concern for Galthie, but his first-choice front row remains intact after a fine tournament 12 months ago. Thibaud Flament takes Woki’s spot at loosehead lock and France also have six forwards among their replacements on which they can call – though do everything Sekou Macalou doubles as handy wing cover. Uber talented 20-year-old scrum half Nolan Le Garrec is another likely debutant.

France: 15. Thomas Ramos; 14. Damian Penaud, 13. Gael Fickou, 12. Yoram Moefana, 11. Ethan Dumortier; 10. Romain Ntamack, 9. Antoine Dupont (capt); 1. Cyril Baille, 2. Julien Marchand, 3. Uini Atonio; 4. Thibaud Flament, 5. Paul Willemse; 6. Anthony Jelonch, 7. Charles Ollivon, 8. Gregory Alldritt.

Replacements: 16. Gaetan Barlot, 17. Reda Wardi, 18. Sipili Falatea, 19. Romain Taofifenua, 20. Thomas Lavault, 21. Sekou Macalou, 22. Nolann Le Garrec, 23. Matthieu Jalibert.

France look to kick off a historic year for Les Bleus ahead of the World Cup when they travel to face Italy in the Six Nations opener.

The French side were visited by former federation president Bernard Laporte before the game.

The move was controversial after Laporte was handed a two-year suspended prison sentence for corruption in December.

France’s general manager Raphael Ibanez explained the decision: “Our mission is a purely sporting one. Last night we invited Bernard, because France organising the World Cup is thanks to him. And that’s where the deep motivation of our players comes from. The staff – it’s him, too.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the game in Rome:

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Italy vs France – the final match of Round 1 of the 2023 Six Nations.

France are aiming to defend the Six Nations title that they won in such style with last year’s grand slam and start their bid when they travel to Rome to face a resurgent Italy this afternoon.

It promises to be a massive year for Les Bleus, who will host the World Cup in September, and under head coach Fabien Galthie are one of the favourites both then and now. Their fiercest competition for both comes in the shape of the No 1 ranked side in the world: Ireland, whose bonus-point victory over Wales in the opener in Cardiff on Saturday makes next week’s contest in Dublin a tantalising prospect.

However, they can’t overlook Italy – who finally ended their embarrassing 36-match losing streak in the Six Nations last year with an emotional victory over Wales, as the heroics of young superstar Ange Capuozzo set up Edoardo Padovani for a late game-winning try that will go down in the tournament’s history. Kieran Crowley’s side followed that up with a first-ever victory over Australia in the autumn and are a youthful team, clearly on the up.

We’ll bring you all the live coverage.