Out of form France welcome Italy in Lille in the Six Nations on Sunday with the hangover of the opening defeat to Ireland and October’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to South Africa still lingering. 

Fabien Galthie’s Les Bleus have edged past Scotland since the humbling to Ireland earlier this month but the head coach and his side remain in the spotlight of criticism from fans, former players and the French media. 

The absence of captain and poster boy Antoine Dupont, playing sevens in Canada this weekend before the Paris Olympic Games, as well as injuries to first-choice fly-half Romain Ntamack, lock Thibaud Flament and flanker Anthony Jelonch have only increased those voices. 

Galthie, who took over in 2019 after years of under-achievement has made just two changes to face the Azzurri.

Read the full story on the Times of Malta sports website...

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