The boot of Frederic Michalak has helped France to take a 15-3 advantage into the break of their Rugby World Cup pool encounter against Italy at Twickenham this evening.
Michalak, who is regarded within the sport to be an unpredictable number 10, showed as much within the opening five minutes.
From what appeared to be a routine position, the 32-year-old sent a penalty against the outside of the post, only to then atone for his error just a few moments later following more ill discipline from the Italians.
That was followed by a moment of controversy in the ninth minute when Les Bleus thought that they had scored the game's opening try. Having seemingly grounded a bobbling ball, Noa Nakaitaci was initially awarded a try by the TMO. But, a second replay showed that Nakaitaci had in fact lost control of the ball and the five points were taken away, although three were soon added back on courtesy of Michalak's right boot.
While it appeared that Michalak had found his range at one end, the same could not be said of his opposite number Tommaso Allan, who spurned a decent opportunity to reduce the arrears in the 15th minute when he skewed his penalty wide of the target. But then, just as it looked that France's fly-half had put his earlier failure behind him, for the second time in the half he struck the upright with a penalty.
Michalak was becoming the half's prominent figure, thanks in part to continued mistakes by the Italians. The ninth penalty conceded by the Azzurri in just the 27th minute handed the Toulon player another chance, which on this occasion he took with an arrowed effort through the centre of the posts.
As the encounter - which is only the second between these two nations to have been played on neutral territory - headed towards the break, Allan reduced the arrears with a much more accurate effort compared to his earlier attempt.
However, both Allan and Michalak were to be outdone by Scott Spedding in the 37th minute when the French full-back fired a penalty between the posts from distance. The final say of the half would go to Michalak, though, when the veteran added a late penalty to put his side 12 points clear.
Liam Apicella
