France withstood a strong Ireland comeback to win their Six Nations match on Saturday, while England needed three late converted tries to subdue Italy.
France scored six tries in its 43-31 win over Ireland at the Stade de France. Leading 43-3 with 30 minutes left, France was looking at a record-breaking win before four Irish tries gave respectability to the score.
"Physically we held them off for 50 minutes," France coach Bernard Laporte said. "But after that, Ireland were much stronger and at the end we just couldn't get the ball. It was like a nightmare."
England's 31-16 victory in Rome was its first away victory in six matches over two years and kept it on course for the Grand Slam after last week's 47-13 victory over defending champion Wales.
"This is a big deal for us," England captain Martin Corry said. "The real test is playing well on the road, and we knew that Italy would provide a major challenge. But we have put in a real dogged performance away from home, and there is certainly a buzz in the changing room."
At Saint-Denis, David Marty and Cedric Heymans scored two tries each for Les Tricolores, with Aurelien Rougerie and Oliver Magne also crossing the line for the home team. Jean-Baptiste Elissalde kicked five conversions and a penalty to banish memories of last week's 20-16 loss to Scotland.
Ronan O'Gara, Gordon D'Arcy, Donccha O'Callaghan and Andrew Trimble replied with tries for Ireland. O'Gara kicked four conversions and a penalty.
France led 29-3 at the break and, at one stage, was on target to surpass its record 44-5 win over Ireland in 2002.
Heymans scored his second try on the left wing soon after the restart and, in the 48th minute, Marty charged down another O'Gara kick for his second touchdown for France to lead 43-3.
Ireland then scored 28 straight points.
"We were fragile after our defeat last week," Elissalde said. "Perhaps we didn't prepare as well as we could have. Ireland started to take risks and everything went right for them."
Ireland's unlikely comeback ended after Trimble scored its final try with 10 minutes remaining.
"We gifted them most of their tries so we felt under a lot of pressure to perform in the second half," Ireland fullback Geordan Murphy said. "We didn't lie down and at one stage we even thought we could come back and win it."
Italy -- which had conceded 154 points in England's last three visits to Rome -- held England scoreless for 26 minutes and led 9-7 early in the second half.
"For eight minutes in the first-half, England were within one meter of our line and they couldn't score ... which proved we can play against sides like England, but we have to keep working hard," Italy captain Marco Bortolami said.
"No one can deny the desire and pride of this squad. Most of our players play in Italy. I thought our players today played beyond their level."
Mike Tindall scored England's first try and Charlie Hodgson converted to make it 7-0 before Italy hit back. After hitting the post with his first penalty kick, Ramiro Pez didn't miss with his next two kicks -- a penalty and drop goal -- to cut the gap to one point.
Another Pez drop goal two minutes into the second half gave Italy the lead.
England replacement scrumhalf Matt Dawson came on after 53 minutes and passed the ball for Hodgson to cross for England's second try. Hodgson converted for England to open up a 17-9 lead. Mark Cueto crossed for England's third try, with Hodgson converting for a 24-9 lead.
Italy's Mirco Bergamasco had a late solo try and Pez converted to cut the gap to eight points before England replacement James Simpson-Daniel crossed in the 80th minute and Hodgson converted.
"I thought our second-half performance was very good," England coach Andy Robinson said. "But we also have to give credit to Italy."
Defending champion Wales plays Scotland at Millennium Stadium today.
Last year's Super 12 finalists made winning starts to rugby's expanded Super 14 as the champion Crusaders crushed the Highlanders 38-15 and the Waratahs edged the Reds 16-12 on Saturday.
Meanwhile in South Africa, the Sharks held out Waikato's Chiefs 30-21, and the Stormers easily accounted for the Cats 23-12.
Three days after being named New Zealand's Rugby Player of the Year for an unprecedented second straight year, All Blacks flyhalf Daniel Carter emphasized his value with seven goals from eight attempts for 18 points for the Crusaders.
Former All Blacks captain Reuben Thorne and halfback Kevin Senio scored tries as the Crusaders established a 13-9 halftime lead against the Highlanders, and Rico Gear, leading tryscorer in the Super 12 last season with 15, started the new competition in similar form, with a second-half try. Canterbury's night was topped off with a last-minute intercept try to center Casey Laulala which put his team atop the table on points difference.
The match had an early season feel and both sides lost continuity through handling errors, partly as a result of jarring defense. The Crusaders were better able to keep their shape under pressure and took advantage of critical Highlanders errors to score tries.
"It wasn't pretty out there," captain Richie McCaw said. "It felt a bit stop-start to us but it was good to get a win and we're happy to come away with five points."
Canterbury won five of the 10 Super 12s and look to have the class to win the first Super 14, building its game around brilliant counterattack.
The biggest derby in Australian rugby, between the Reds and Waratahs, had little to recommend it as a classic.
Flanker Rocky Elsom scored the only try of the game, in the 68th minute, to help the Waratahs overturn a 12-6 deficit and take a 13-12 lead. Peter Hewat's penalty in the final minute sealed a win for the match favorite and last season's beaten finalist. The Waratahs had never beaten Queensland in Super 12 competition before last season and this was their first win in Queensland.
"We knew if we stayed in touch we could come up with a try,'" said Waratahs captain Chris Whitaker. His team trailed 12-6 to four Elton Flatley penalties by the 53rd minute but the Reds began to fade as several players were injured or suffered cramps in humid conditions.
The match exploded in skirmishes at the start but for all the energy in close there was little excitement out wide, with just three line breaks in the game.
Former Queensland star Wendell Sailor made his debut for the Waratahs and was the target of some intense jeering from the stands. He had little impact, yet celebrated wildly at the finish, giving plenty of abuse back to some supporters.
Springboks fullback Percy Montgomery scored 25 points from flyhalf for the Sharks, whose season-opening victory over the Chiefs matched their win total last year.
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