Instead he gave a penalty, one of seven Michalak kicked in the match, converting five with the other two coming back off the posts as he edged to within three points of Thierry Lacroix’s French World Cup points record of 124.
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“It’s very important that we started with a win, and we knew how tough Italy were”, France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said.
Italy also suffered, as center Andrea Masi lasted only 23 minutes at his fourth Rugby World, carried off with reportedly an Achilles injury.
“It looks like Huget has done his cruciate ligaments so this is not the best news”, Saint-Andre told ITV.
Giovanbattista Venditti responded in the 51st minute with a consolation try for Italy before a distressed Huget was helped from the field.
Like Canada did for Ireland, Italy practically gifted the win.
Italy will be without their inspirational captain Sergio Parisse and France will be expected to record a morale-boosting victory, especially with the European champions Ireland lying in wait.
THREE. And another from Michalak right on the stroke of halftime and France deserve their 12 point lead.
69′ TRY! Substitute front-rower Nicolas Mas drives towards the line and presses the ball against the base of the post, getting the crucial extra try for his side.
Italy coach Jacques Brunel said the Azzurri would have to “respond as a squad” without Parisse.
“We have been preparing for this since 6 July and the players are really champing at the bit to get going”. Noa Nakaitaci looked to have scored in the corner, but the replays for the crowd showed that he had dropped the ball in the act of touching it down and the referee was forced to halt Michalak’s conversion preparations and go upstairs.
The French va va voom finally arrived in the 44th minute via Michalak, poking through the deftest of grubbers for prop Slimani to collect and bustle over the whitewash.
Indeed Italy looked by far their most composed now, recycling possession patiently before Leonardo Sarto was held out with the try-line gaping.
While Haimona (29) is by no means an outstanding global quality 10, he does at least possess the experience of a solid 10 year club career and has proven his ability to control tight matches (one thinks, for example, of his performance during Italy’s dramatic 19-22 defeat of Scotland in the Six Nations back in February).
France put the result beyond doubt in four second-half minutes, Michalak slotting over another penalty and then he grubbered through for Slimani to score following Nakaitaci’s surging break down the left and offload to Guilhem Guirado.
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Italy has a week off before playing Canada, while France has to regroup for Romania in four days at the Olympic Stadium.
