05 February 2023 , 07:00
875
0
After a hugely succesful 2022 campaign France return to Six Nations action to defend the crown they won 12 months ago. The French stole the show last year, winning all five games to clinch their first Six Nations title in 12 years.
Their title defence will resume this weekend when they make the trip to Rome to take on underdogs Italy at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday. The start is no doubt a tough one for the Italians, who have come bottom of the table in eight of the last nine years.
France meanwhile will be hoping to get their campaign off to the perfect start and extend their unbeaten run in the competition in 2023.
Fabien Galthié's team is one full of superstars, all of whom will be keen to impress with this year's World Cup - in which the French will host - right around the corner. One man who Mirror Sport's Tom Sunderland thinks is well worth keeping an eye on is Nolann Le Garrec.
He wrote: "Le Garrec boasts a considerable edge in terms of Top 14 experience, while he was also an unused member of the French squad that toured Japan last July. There's a chance the Breton's tournament could pass without much prominence, but it could also prove the beginning of a much-needed path of discovery for France in an area that's crying out for depth."
Corrie's Sue Cleaver says I'm A Celebrity stint helped her to push boundaries
France are out to defend their Six Nations crown in 2023 (Getty Images)Ahead of France's title defending opener here is everything you need to know about their clash with the Italians.
What time does Italy vs France start?
The Six Nations clash between Italy and France at the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital of Rome will kick off at 3pm GMT on Sunday 5 February. Locally the game will get underway at 4pm CET.
What channel is Italy vs France on?
Rugby union fans in the United Kingdom can watch France's title defending opener against the Italians on ITV 1 on Sunday With kick-off scheduled for 3pm BST, ITV's pre-match build-up of the match will begin 45 minutes earlier at 2:15pm.
Italy vs France livestream information
Rugby fans in the UK can also tune into Sunday's match at the Stadio Olimpico via a livestream, with the game available to watch via ITVX. Viewers can tune into the Six Nations clash via the ITVX website at ITV.com, or can watch via compatible smartphone or tablet through the ITVX app.