Needing to win to avoid relinquishing their title to unbeaten Wales, a much-changed Les Bleus did what they had to, with Anthony Floch, Yannick Jauzion and Aurelien Rougerie going over and Dimitri Yachvili kicking 10 points.

Italy, still without a win in the tournament this year, were game opposition throughout, but had just a Martin Castrogiovanni try and eight points from the boot of Andrea Marcato to show for their efforts.

Les Bleus now know they must beat Wales by 20 points or more at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday to retain their crown.

France should have put points on the board in the fourth minute after being awarded a penalty close to the Italian try-line but captain Lionel Nallet botched a tap-and-go rather than a kick at goal.

The hosts dominated possession early on and produced a well-worked try in the 13th minute to open the scoring.

Fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc sent a cross-field kick to the left corner where Julien Malzieu patted the ball down to Clermont-Auvergne team-mate Floch, who dived over from close range. Yachvili added the extras from out wide for 7-0.

Italy hit back immediately as Marcato punished Louis Picamoles for a nonsensical offside with a 40-yard penalty straight through the posts.

The visitors wasted a glorious chance to take the lead in the 22nd minute when Leonardo Ghiraldini held off a tackle by Yachvili to scamper down the left touchline and he fed inside for Gonzalo Canale who inexplicably fumbled.

France extended their lead to 10-3 in the 27th minute when Yachvili slotted over a penalty after Jauzion was taken out off the ball.

Marcato replied with one of his own on the half-hour mark after Dimitri Szarzewski had handled in the ruck when off his feet.

Yachvili was proving to be unforgiving with his place-kicking though, and another penalty of his gave France a 13-6 interval lead.

The match was just as scrappy at the start of the second half and neither try-line was threatened until the 52nd minute, when Jauzion ran onto Yachvili’s chip for a simple score although the scrum-half missed the conversion.

But Italy responded five minutes later when Castrogiovanni was at the base of an unstoppable rolling maul to dive over in the right corner. Marcato kicked the extras for 18-13.

Italy centre Mirco Bergamasco produced a stunning last-gasp tackle to hold up rampaging winger Rougerie in the right corner in the 62nd minute, with video replays needed to confirm the ball had not been grounded.

It mattered little as the French went over for a third try moments later anyway.

Substitute Damien Traille was the creator, handing a superb offload to Rougerie, who powered through a gap in midfield to ground under the posts and Yachvili converted.

Italy had the better of the final 10 minutes but lacked a cutting edge, despite forcing France into a host of penalties on their own try-line.