France hold off stern Scotland challenge to clinch Six Nations title in Paris

Six Nations: France 35 Scotland 16

Scotland briefly threatened to spoil the party but France ultimately came to the boil and delivered their first Six Nations title since 2022 for an expectant home crowd at Stade de France on Saturday night.

France eventually ran out 35-16 winners to shut the door on England, who would have won the championship if there was a rare win in Paris for the Scots.

That scenario looked within the realms of possibility as Gregor Townsend’s men came on strong in the second quarter and they were unfortunate to go in 16-13 behind at the break after a Tom Jordan try was disallowed in the last action of the half.

But Les Bleus, with inspirational captain Antoine Dupont on crutches and watching from the stands after suffering an ACL injury in Dublin last weekend, regained their composure after the break and pulled away to secure only their second title since 2010.

France hold off stern Scotland challenge to clinch Six Nations title in Paris

England end Ireland’s Six Nations title hopes after 10-try mauling of Wales

Simon Easterby frustrated by Ireland’s missed tackles and coughing up of possession

For all the spirit they showed on what was always going to be a challenging night, Scotland were left to reflect on a second consecutive campaign in which they have finished fourth with just two wins from their five matches.

Following a spectacular light show ahead of kick-off and amid a partisan atmosphere, France signalled their intent with a strong start which yielded a penalty which Thomas Ramos kicked between the posts in the fourth minute.

Scotland dug in to stop the fired-up hosts extending their advantage, although their hopes of maintaining a foothold were dented when Jamie Ritchie was sinbinned in the 12th minute for collapsing a maul.

France made the extra man count in the 18th minute after some brilliant work from Gael Fickou to send Yoram Moefana through for the first try of the night, with Ramos adding the extras.

The tide started to turn midway through the half, however, when French hooker Peato Mauvaka was yellow-carded – contentiously avoiding a red – after appearing to headbutt Ben White. Finn Russell put the resulting penalty away from close range to get the visitors up and running.

At the other end, White pulled off a stunning tackle to deny fellow scrumhalf Maxime Lucu after he burst towards the line following a fumble by Russell.

This try-saving intervention seemed to have a galvanising effect on the Scots, who silenced the home support in the 28th minute when Russell put Darcy Graham in to score.

France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey runs in to score his side's second try during the Six Nations match against Scotland at Stade de France. Photograph: Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images

Further French indiscipline paved the way for Scotland to level things up at 13-13 as Jean-Baptiste Gros was sinbinned due to multiple team offences, and Russell did the damage with the penalty.

Ramos then restored the French lead with another penalty, but it was Scotland who looked to have edged ahead in the last action of the half when Jordan pushed his way over, only for the TMO to inform referee Matthew Carley that Blair Kinghorn’s elbow had gone into touch in the build-up.

France took full advantage of this dynamic-shifting reprieve and made a blistering start to the second half with Louis Bielle-Biarrey bolting over for his eighth try of the championship – a new try-scoring record by one player in a single Six Nations campaign – which Ramos converted.

A Russell penalty brought Scotland back to within a converted score of being level.

However, Ramos bolted over just before the hour – and then added the extras – to put the hosts 14 points clear and firmly in command of their destiny.

Moefana then added his second of the evening, taking the game beyond the Scots and allowing the party to begin well before the end.

SCORING SEQUENCE – 3 mins: Ramons pen, 3-0; 17: Moefana try, Ramos con, 10-0; 20: Russell pen, 10-3; 25: Ramos pen, 13-3; 28: Graham try, Russell con, 13-10; 25: Russell pen, 13-13; 38: Ramos pen, 16-13. (half-time 16-13); 42: Bielle-Biarrey try, Ramos con, 23-13; 50: Russell pen, 23-16; 56: Ramos try, con, 30-16; 61: Moefana try, 35-16.

FRANCE: Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Romain Ntamack, Maxime Lucu; Jean-Baptiste Gros, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio; Thibaud Flament, Mickael Guillard; Francois Cros, Paul Boudehent, Gregory Alldritt (capt).

Replacements: Julien Marchand for Penaud (22-31 mins) and for Mauvaka (46); Dorian Aldegheri for Atonio (43); Cyril Baille for Gros, Emmanuel Meafou for Guillard; Oscar Jegou for Boudehent, Anthony Jelonch for Alldritt (all 46); Hugo Auradou for Flament (74); Nolann Le Garrec for Lucu (75).

Yellow cards: Mauvaka (20 mins), Gros (35).

SCOTLAND: Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham, Huw Jones, Tom Jordan, Duhan van der Merwe; Finn Russel, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, Dave Cherry, Zander Fagerson; Gregor Brown, Grant Gilchrist; Jamie Ritchie, Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson.

Replacements: Ewan Ashman for Cherry, Marshall Sykes for Brown (both 57); Rory Sutherland for Schoeman, Ben Muncaster for Darge, Stafford McDowall for Jones, Jamie Dobie for White (all 66); Ewan Johnson for Gilchrist (72). Not used: Will Hurd.

Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng).

Yellow card: Ritchie (11 mins)