NO need to crack open the chianti. The tantalising prospect of a first away win in the Championship for Italy suggested by their gutsy halftime lead soon fizzed away with just a few pops of champagne rugby.

It took an age for the French to get into their stride but with the recalled Thomas Castaignede leading the charge they finished with five tries and in decent heart for the visit of England two weeks today.

Let us be honest about it: to the neutrals among us the thought of Italy, coached by a former French captain no less in Pierre Berbizier, storming the Stade de France was as juicy as a ripe Beaujolais. It looked on for a while even if there was hardly anything meritorious other than sheer hard work in the way Italy established a 12-8 advantage, with three penalties and a dropped goal from Ramiro Pez, the fly-half who was one of eight of this Azzurri XV earning his corn with French clubs.

Garryowens and a rush defence were the staples of Berbizier's game plan, and France dealt with neither particularly well to begin with. Still, Italy hardly ever glimpsed France's 22, and half their points were gifts from the opposition, as Pez kicked accurately in the ninth, 16th and 23rd minutes.

France had opened up with a penalty by Jean-Baptiste Elissalde.

A few dozen or so throaty male voices chanted "Italia, Italia". The French booed and whistled this new sound of the Six Nations: Italian exultation. Soon enough they had a try to cheer.

A break involving Aurelien Rougerie, Castaignede and Florian Fritz ended with Elissalde's perfect cross-kick finding Thomas Lievremont, who flopped over. A dropped goal from Pez left Italy leading 12-8 at the break.

France looked no more certain of themselves at the start of the second half. Dimitri Yachvili . . . on for Elissalde . . .

kicked a penalty after 46 minutes to bring some respite.

Castaignede though then decided to take charge. He made a try for Yannick Nyanga on 56 minutes with a coruscating 35-metre return of Christian Stoica's clearing kick after Christophe Dominici's short pass.

Either side of the Nyanga try Yachvili missed penalties for France; Pez was also off target after a rare Italian break-out. Most of the action was at the other end and Carlo del Fava went to the sin bin in the 63rd minute after the latest of Italy's technical fouls. In the lock's absence, his side's fate was sealed by a good old-fashioned forwards' try. After long deliberation by the video referee of a French catch and drive came to nought, the home side settled for a mass shove from the resulting scrum and a try for the prop, Pieter de Villiers.

After that, Italy simply cracked. The Bergamasco brothers were guilty of spiteful late hits in the moves which led to Dominic giving the scoring pass for France's fourth try to Rougerie, and a dancing Michalak dotting down the fifth.

FRANCE Castaignede, Rougerie, Fritz, Traille, Dominici, Michalak, Elissalde, Milloud, Ibanez, De Villiers, Pelous, Thion, Nyanga, Magne, Lievremont Subs D Yachvili for Elissalde, 40+6 mins; S Marconnet for Milloud, 52 mins; D Marty for Traille, 54 mins; J Bonnaire for Magne, 80+1 mins; L Nallet for Pelous, 40+6 mins Scorers De Villiers, Lievremont, Michalak, Nyanga, Rougerie try each; Yachvili 3 cons, pen; Elissalde pen

ITALY Stoica, Canavosio, Canale, M. Bergamasco, Nitoglia, Pez, Griffen, Perugini, Ongaro, Nieto, Del Fava, Bortolami, Sole, M. Bergamasco, Parisse Subs A Picone for Griffen, 3-11 mins, 23-27 mins; M Castrogiovanni for Nieto, 72 mins; C Festuccia for Ongaro, 75 mins; A Lo Cicero for Perugini, 78 mins; A Zanni for Sole, 80+2 mins Scorers Pez 3 pens, drp gl Referee T Spreadbury (England)