France clinched the Six Nations title in style on Saturday as they defeated a determined Scotland squad 35-16. Competing in the chilly weather at Stade de France, the team achieved a milestone by setting a new tournament record for tries. The win ensured France’s first championship title since 2022, allowing them to surpass England by a single point after England’s commanding 68-14 victory over Wales, which included ten tries.
France’s four tries in this match allowed them to amass 30 for the tournament, one more than the record previously set by England in 2001. Despite the seemingly comfortable final scoreline, the first half presented challenges for France.
The French team faced discipline issues, resulting in two sin-bins, one of which was perilously close to being a red card due to a headbutt, jeopardizing their lead just before the break. As the second half commenced, Scotland trailed by a small margin of 16-13 and gained a temporary numerical advantage. However, they could only manage a single penalty from flyhalf Finn Russell during the period.
The game’s momentum shifted dramatically due to a lapse from Russell, who made an ill-conceived no-look pass, leading to a French counterattack and a 43rd-minute try. Flyhalf Romain Ntamack played a crucial role, enabling Louis Bielle-Biarrey to score in the left corner. This marked Bielle-Biarrey’s eighth try of the tournament, thus tying the longstanding record held by England’s Cyril Lowe from 1914 and Scotland’s Ian Smith from 1925 during the era of the Five Nations.
France seized control when fullback Thomas Ramos scored his own try and converted it around the 60-minute mark. Ramos added 20 points to his tally, surpassing Frédéric Michalak’s record to become France’s highest all-time scorer, accumulating 450 points.
With the outcome virtually sealed, Gaël Fickou provided the opportunity for his midfield teammate Yoram Moefana to score his second try, pushing the final score to 35-16 and igniting the celebrations.
