Scotland v France - Teams and Prediction

ROUND FOUR PREVIEW: It is all on the line as Scotland hope to use home advantage and upset France to give themselves the best possible chance of a first-ever Six Nations title.

That, of course, is easier said than done. France holds the advantage in the last five games, having won the last four on the bounce since 2022 and has been red-hot since Round One against Ireland.

Scotland, on the other hand, will rue their campaign-opening loss to Italy. A win would have had them at least level with France on points heading into this fixture, but now they find themselves in second place and four points short of Les Bleus.

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend’s admiration for France’s “pure, instinctive rugby” means he well understands what his side will be up against when they try to derail Les Bleus’ bid for yet more Six Nations glory at Murrayfield on Saturday.

The former Scotland and British and Irish Lions international featured for two leading French clubs in Brive and Montpellier during his playing days, but he now believes the elite Top 14 is “on a different level from what it was when I was there”.

Reigning champions France have been the team of the Six Nations so far, with 18 tries across a trio of bonus-point wins.

Another such victory in Edinburgh would see them retain their Six Nations title with a game to spare and leave them on course for a Grand Slam heading into their ‘Super Saturday’ finale at home to England on March 14.

But a win for Scotland could see them leapfrog the French at the top of the table, with victories over England and Wales following a lacklustre first-round loss away to Italy.

France have long had a reputation for an attacking game distinctively different from that seen in the largely Anglo-Saxon world of rugby union.

Townsend, once a noted playmaker, sees that tradition on show in a youthful France side, with wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey, still only 22, setting a new record by scoring a try in an eighth consecutive Six Nations match during a 33-8 win over Italy in Lille last time out.

“There’s lots to like,” Townsend said after naming his side on Thursday, which shows five changes to the team that edged Wales 26-23 a fortnight ago.

“They’re the best players in the world at adapting to fractured defences in space.”

“In France, you don’t see an attack shape as clearly as other teams. That is sort of pure, instinctive rugby.”

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— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) March 5, 2026

Townsend said recent rule alterations had benefitted a France side that, while blessed with a powerful pack, features several outstanding backs in scrumhalf Antoine Dupont, fit-again flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert and 21-year-old wing Theo Attissogbe.

“The change in the game with contestable kicks being challenged has really benefited a team like France because if you can get the ball back there, you’ve not got a straight defensive line,” he explained.

“You’ve got somebody who’s up a little bit higher, and they’re just so good [at exploiting that].

‘Different level’

Townsend, a try-scorer in a celebrated 36-22 win away to France that helped propel Scotland to the 1999 Five Nations title – the last time they were crowned champions – keeps a close eye on the Top 14, where Scotland fullback Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse) and scrumhalf Ben White (Toulon) both play their club rugby.

“The Top 14 right now is on a different level from what it was when I was there,” said Townsend, who also insisted France had to “take a lot of credit” for being unafraid to propel youthful talent into the international arena.

“Some of these young guys now are some of the best players in the team,” he said.

France coach Fabien Galthie expressed his unhappiness with the size of Murrayfield’s away dressing room – “the smallest in the world” – after he too announced his side on Thursday, but there was no denying his admiration for Scotland, even if they have not beaten Les Bleus in the Championship since 2021.

The former France scrumhalf is particularly wary of a Scotland backline helmed by the gifted Finn Russell, another veteran of the Top 14 after a spell at Racing 92.

“They can win the championship,” said Galthie.

“They are very aggressive and dynamic up front and, from No.10 [flyhalf Russell] to No.15 [fullback Kinghorn], they possess the best backline in the United Kingdom.

“Our players know very well that defeat in Scotland is possible.”

Players to watch

For Scotland: Huw Jones has been in sensational form and forms a formidable midfield partnership with Glasgow Warriors teammate Sione Tuipulotu, which could be key to breaking open France’s defence. Finn Russell and Ben White will have to bring their ‘A’ game to outshine their more fancied opposite numbers, whilst all eyes will be on the Scotland front row, who will set the tone against a dominant French pack.

For France: Tomas Ramos is always an attacking threat from the back, but there will be a focus on returning flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert, who partners with captain Antoine Dupont as the halfbacks. Charles Ollivon has been solid in the tight-loose and knows his way to the try line in close quarters.

Prediction

Rugby365: France by 12 points

Teams

Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11 Kyle Steyn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Gregor Brown, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 George Turner, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Grant Gilchrist, 20 Freddy Douglas, 21 Josh Bayliss, 22 George Horne, 23 Tom Jordan.

France: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Théo Attissogbe, 13 Nicolas Depoortere, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Oscar Jégou, 6 François Cros, 5 Mickaël Guillard, 4 Charles Ollivon, 3 Dorian Aldergheri, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gross.
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Thibaud Flament, 20 Emmanuel Meafou, 21 Lenni Nouchi, 22 Baptiste Serin, 23 Pierre-Louis Barassi

Date: Saturday, March 7
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 14.10 (14.10 GMT; 15.10 France time)
Expected weather: Sunny with a high of 10 degrees Celsius and a low of one degree Celsius, with 64 percent humidity and light winds from the southwest.
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland) & Craig Evans (Wales)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)