It’s the final day of the 2025 Six Nations and the title is very much up for grabs. Alas, Scotland aren’t in the running. Again.
But can they spring a surprise – and have a say in the destination of the Championship – by winning in France?
Here’s what our expert panel of former Scotland captains ANDY NICOL and JASON WHITE have to say…
Scotland against France. Is it a game the Scots can realistically win?
ANDY NICOL: The answer to that question is: of course they can. It’s a two-horse race, red cards can happen at any time, France could make as many mistakes as they did against England and Scotland won in Paris in 2021 and should have beaten France last year at Murrayfield.
Will all these things happen? Probably not as France are some team and are running hot in the last two games but there is a chance. A very small one, though!
JASON WHITE: The only realistic chance of Scotland winning is if the team can put Finn Russell’s comments about playing for 80 minutes into action. We have shown how lethal we can be in attack but also how our concentration can drop off with huge consequences. We need to produce a 9/10 performance from minute one until the referee blows for the end of the game to have a chance of winning.
Scotland will be up against it versus France on Saturday but could spring a surprise victory
They will have to put Finn Russell’s comments about playing for 80 minutes into action
What’s the game-plan for Gregor Townsend?
NICOL: If we have any chance, then the game has to be as loose and as broken as it possibly could be. It needs to be chaos, with teams running the ball from all parts of the pitch and that is a style of game that Scotland like and excel in.
If there is lots of running rugby with a lot of line breaks, any mistake or poor kicking to our back three could really play well for Scotland. Duhan Van Der Merwe, Darcy Graham and Blair Kinghorn thrive on broken field running so will love it if the game is very loose.
What Scotland cannot afford is a set-piece dominated game. If that happens then we are done as we cannot live with the power and physicality of France. They blew Ireland away last week in Dublin, a team that blew Scotland away a few weeks earlier, so Scotland need to be very accurate while creating chaos, which is a bit of an oxymoron.
WHITE: The game plan will very likely be to win as much quick ball as possible and unleash our X factor players in space. That is our way to trouble France. That only works if we can win, or gain parity in the contact battle with our forwards.
We then need to worry about when France have the ball and restricting their key players from creating havoc like they did against Ireland.
Were you surprised by France’s victory over Ireland?
NICOL: I wasn’t totally surprised that they won, it was the manner and scale of the victory that was remarkable. I thought it was a one-score game and I actually predicted Ireland to win by two with all the emotion flying around with three of their legends playing their last games in Dublin. But France were phenomenal, producing maybe the best 30 minutes of modern rugby I have ever seen.
It was the combination of ferocious power from huge men to the pace and flair of the backs which produced rugby that blew Ireland away. The only team that could possibly have lived with France when they are in that mood are South Africa.
WHITE: The big surprise was that Ireland failed to score in the first quarter of the game with the huge territory and possession advantage they had. Huge credit needs to go to the French defensive effort which was world class. It was a day for Shaun Edwards to be very proud of his players.
France played one of the best 30 minutes in modern rugby history during their win over Ireland
Gregor Townsend has to ensure the game is as loose and as broken as it can possibly be
The likes of Duhan Van Der Merwe (pictured) thrive on broken field running so will love it if the game is very loose
Will players be worried? How do you cope knowing you face them next?
WHITE: As a player, I think I would be feeling a bit of all a number of emotions. Now, as a former player, I am excited to see how they can match up and go and spoil the French party.
We must remember how the home crowd in Paris can turn on their team if it doesn’t go their way. They showed against England that they make mistakes when the pressure is on. If we start strongly and they concede points, our confidence will rise and they will have all the pressure on them.
Let’s also remember they are without their talisman and the world’s best player in Antoine Dupont. It is a shame for the Six Nations as a tournament but great for us.
NICOL: There is no doubt that a win for Ireland would have been a better result for Scotland. It would have meant the final game in Paris was a dead rubber and France might have lost a bit of energy and motivation.
With beating Ireland, they have put themselves in the box seat so that a win probably wins the championship but a bonus point win definitely does irrespective of what happens earlier on in the day. This makes France very dangerous indeed and this could be one of the toughest games this Scotland team will ever have played.
They have created some atmosphere in the Stade de France recently, especially for night games, so it could be the biggest party in France on Saturday and the Scottish team have got front row seats to watch it!
The manner and scale of France’s victory over Ireland last time out was truly remarkable
They will have to face Scotland without the world’s best player and their talisman in Antoine Dupont, who is injured
What are you expecting from ‘Super Saturday’?
WHITE: I expect Ireland will be full of anger and accuracy and put up a large score against Italy in the first game. In the second game in Cardiff, I actually see it as wide open and there for either team to win. The English defence has been porous and, with the crowd behind them, Wales might just have enough to break their losing streak.
The final game in Paris is set to be a firecracker and is just what Super Saturday should be for all the fans. The two best attacking teams going all out attack and serving up a thriller.
NICOL: It is exciting for the tournament that all three games are crucial with three teams who can win the Six Nations. Ireland will want to finish on a high after last week but so will Italy, who shipped over 70 points when they last played at home.
England will want to put pressure on France by beating Wales with a bonus point win but Wales will be desperate to put an end to their 16-game losing streak. That will be some atmosphere in Cardiff.
France will want to win the Six Nations after failing in their home World Cup – and I think they will be smiling come the end of Super Saturday!
