Preview: France v Scotland

SAINT-DENIS, FRANCE - MARCH 14: Gregor Brown during a Scotland captain's run at the Stade de France, on March 14, 2025, in Saint-Denis, France (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

What they said

Head Coach Gregor Townsend said: “France could be going for a grand slam, they didn’t get the win against England but in their other games they’ve been very dominant. The importance for us is not to allow them to get any momentum, because when they can get in behind teams, they’re very clinical.

“Gregor (Brown) has done really well off the bench for us, and I thought his impact against Wales was excellent.

“Matt (Fagerson) is someone who came on early against Wales, again did really well, he’s played a number of games for us whether starting or from the bench.”

The teams

Gregor Brown comes in for his first Six Nations start, and Matt Fagerson joins the starting back row in the only other change.

The stats

• Scotland (624) and France (541) have made the most carries of any sides in the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations, with France having made more line breaks (39) than any other team this year and Scotland beating the most defenders (123).
• Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn has made 72 carries in the Championship this year, 22 more than the next best player (France’s Gregory Alldritt – 50) and more than any other Scotland player in an edition of the Men’s Six Nations; Kinghorn has made 467 metres over the gainline this year and needs 77 against France to surpass Mike Brown’s record for a single edition (543 in 2014).
• Thomas Ramos has scored 430 points for France in his career and needs just seven more to surpass Frédéric Michalak (436) as Les Bleus’ top points scorer in Test rugby; he has scored at least seven points in each of his last 26 matches for France, averaging 15 per game during that run.