Controversy as heartbreaking finish denies Italy biggest Six Nations win after post hit

Italy flyhalf Paolo Garbisi hit the post with a last gasp penalty to let 14 man France off the hook in a tense 13-13 draw in the Six Nations.

Garbisi had the chance to give Italy the biggest win in their rugby history and their first away to France in the Six Nations.

The kick was barely more than 30m out and slightly to the left for the left footer.

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With the shot clock on, the ball wobbled off the tee with 14 seconds left.

Garbisi put it back in place and finally kicked it with four seconds to go. It smacked off the right upright.

Garbisi held his head in his hands. His apology followed.

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"I should have been up to the task of doing this job, I didn't do it well enough in this moment," he said on French television.

"I didn't do (my job) properly. That's why I would like to say sorry to my teammates and my country."

Italy has beaten France twice in Rome in the Six Nations, but its only win on French soil predated the tournament in 1997 in Grenoble.

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The draw will do wonders for Italy's confidence, especially after it was crushed by France 60-7 in October in Lyon during the Rugby World Cup.

"It's a good result but winning is better," Garbisi said.

"It will stay in my mind for a while."

France should have buried Italy by half-time.

They dominated the first spell but converted only one try chance of at least four as Italy defended superbly.

Italy made 112 tackles in the half, more than twice as many as France.

But France started the second half only 10-3 up and short a man after centre Jonathan Danty's yellow card was upgraded to red during the break.

He committed a dangerous head on head tackle of opposite Juan Ignacio Brex at the end of the first half.

France also lost flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert moments beforehand to a knee injury, forcing a backline shuffle of fullback Thomas Ramos into 10, replacement Yoram Moefana onto the wing, and wing Matthis Lebel to fullback.

The French couldn't click in the second half and Italy's confidence grew the longer France failed to score.

The home side added only a second Ramos penalty.

France's failure to challenge for the title, just months after soaring at its home World Cup, with turn more heat on the team and coach Fabien Galthie.

France is fourth in the standings with Wales away and England at home to come.

"I can't explain what went wrong, and it's better if I don't speak because I might say something stupid," France hooker Julien Marchand said.

Italy's second penalty kick of the game by Garbisi after Marchand infringed, restored a seven point deficit with 20 minutes left.

Italy, which had lost three scrums, held against seven Frenchmen on its own 22 and attacked.

Right winger Tommaso Menoncello smashed through up the middle and within five phases they were in the France 22.

Replacement flyhalf Leonardo Marin offloaded brilliantly to Capuozzo to touch down in the left corner.

Garbisi converted from the touchline to even the score with 10 minutes to go, only to miss the biggest kick of his career.

"It was gutting to see that hit the post," Italy No.8 Ross Vintcent said.

The first half didn't portend a second consecutive France escape.

Stand in captain Charles Ollivon barged over in the seventh minute.

Injured regular skipper Gregory Alldritt showed his team spirit by bringing the tee for Ramos' conversion and next penalty kicks.

But France's handling let it down from then on.

"We should have scored three or four tries in the first half," France centre Gael Fickou said. "It's frustrating."

France beat Scotland at Murrayfield two weeks ago only after the TMO couldn't verify a last second try by the Scots.

"We expected to beat Italy," France defence coach Shaun Edwards said.

"We had all the ball in the first half, total domination. In the second half, total opposite. Credit the Italy defence. They were on the goal line getting underneath the ball. They were fantastic."

SCOTLAND 30, ENGLAND 21 in Edinburgh

A hat trick of tries by Duhan van der Merwe powered Scotland's 30-21 win over England at Murrayfield to get back into the Six Nations title race.

England's first defeat left both teams with two wins after three rounds.

Scotland rose to second and England dropped to third.

Both are yet to meet unbeaten leader Ireland.

Scotland started as the favourite but had to come from 10-0 behind in a frantic match full of handling errors.

England dominated territory but Scotland scored all three of its tries from its own half.

The South Africa-born Van der Merwe became the first Scot to score a hat trick against England in the Six Nations era.

Zooming to 26 tries in his 37th Scotland Test, Van der Merwe is only one try behind the Scotland all-time record held by Stuart Hogg, who retired last year.

He finished the match in the sin bin, but received a huge applause walking off after he was yellow carded in the 79th minute for a reckless tackle.

"To show that resilience to come back and then score 30 points shows what this team is capable of," Scotland coach Gregor Townsend said.

"There is improvement to do and we want to get to the final week with an opportunity to still be in the championship."

Van der Merwe's finishing was complemented by Finn Russell off the tee.

Russell went six for six at the posts, and he's perfect in the tournament with 15 out of 15.

Scotland celebrations were muted as co-captains Russell and Rory Darge picked up the Calcutta Cup yet again.

They are used to beating England, even though they last enjoyed four successive wins in 1973, and in the championship in 1896.

"We just had to do our job today," Russell said.

"The professionalism of everyone was brilliant."

IRELAND 31, WALES 7 in Dublin

Ireland are halfway to the Grand Slam after putting down a spirited Wales in a harder than expected 31-7 win.

The Irish had victory sewn up by halftime when they led 17-0.

But they couldn't grab the bonus point fourth try until the 81st minute.

An utterly dominated Wales used the halftime break to regather its wits and rally with a penalty try.

A harried Ireland twice lost men into the sin bin in the second half but, with an unreliable set piece against a well oiled Irish defence, Wales didn't look like scoring again.

Ireland got its third try in the 65th minute through newcomer Ciaran Frawley, and lock Tadhg Beirne collected the fourth try at the last possible moment.

Jack Crowley converted all four and added a penalty.

With three bonus point wins, Ireland has maximum points and is on track for back to back Grand Slams.

As the only unbeaten team, it could successfully retain the Six Nations title in two weeks against England at Twickenham.

They finish at home against Scotland.

"They're definitely capable of doing it," Wales coach Warren Gatland said.

"They've got the experience and the composure and players who can carry and get them on the front foot. They will be a hard team to knock over."