Elina Folituu’s hat-trick helped France kick-off their 2025 Six Nations Women’s Summer Series campaign in fine style, cruising to a 46-5 win over Italy in the competition’s opening match.
Les Bleuettes ran in eight tries at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, with Emy Baudru, Zoe Jean, Tifen Lesieu, co-captain Anna Macipe and Cherrazade Saiki also crossing over to score.
Italy put up a valiant performance throughout, registering a try of their own through prop Alice Antonazzo, but were unable to stop the constant tide of French pressure.
France started the stronger of the two sides and spent much of the opening 10 minutes camped in the Italian 22.
Italy skipper Elena Errichiello and her charges defended valiantly but their rearguard action was eventually broken after 10 minutes when full-back Baudru dotted down after latching onto Pauline Barrat’s delightful grubber kick.
Macipe added the extras for Les Bleuettes before Jean crossed over in the corner five minutes later to stretch the French lead to 12-0.
The game opened up as the half progressed with Italy enjoying a visit to their opponent’s half, but they couldn’t stop France scoring their third try after 23 minutes.
A powerful rolling maul in the corner epitomised the French physicality on show and was finished off by hooker Lesieu.
The half ended with France leading by 17-0 but it could have been more if it wasn’t for Alessia Philippe’s effort being ruled out after the TMO adjudged there to have been obstruction in the build-up.
France continued where they left off at the start of the second 40 minutes, with only a late handling error denying them a fourth try early in the half.
But they weren’t to be denied as replacement hooker Folituu crashed down the left following another unstoppable rolling maul which had stemmed from a line out.
The fifth French score was a carbon copy of the previous – just on the other side of the field – as Folituu again crossed the whitewash thanks to another successful set piece.
However, Italy refused to give up and their tenacity was rewarded on the hour mark with a try of their own – Antonazzo driving over from close range to make the score 29-5.
Folituu completed her hattrick post the hour mark – again benefitting from a close-range maul – before Macipe and Saiki rounded off the scoring – the latter collecting a cross-field kick to score in the left corner.