France overpower Scotland to win Six Nations title

Men's Six Nations

France (16) 35

Tries: Moefana (2), Bielle-Biarrey, Ramos Cons: Ramos (3) Pens: Ramos (3)

Scotland (13) 16

Tries: Graham Cons: Russell Pens: Russell (3)

France secured the Six Nations championship with a flourish - and quashed England's hopes - by ultimately overpowering a dogged Scotland in Paris.

Steve Borthwick's men moved to the top of the table with a thumping win in Wales, but the French responded to the challenge.

Their four tries didn't just secure the title in terrific style, it also brought their tally to 30 across the five games - a new Six Nations record, breaking a mark set by the English in 2001.

Fabien Galthie's team roared into an early 10-0 lead thanks to the first of Yoram Moefana's two tries and a penalty from Thomas Ramos, who later bypassed Frederic Michalak as France's all-time top points scorer.

Scotland weren't helped by a yellow card for Jamie Ritchie, but as the visitors came into it, France's discipline faltered and they had Peato Mauvaka and then Jean-Baptiste Gros binned in an fractious opening 40.

Finn Russell's penalties and a try from Darcy Graham made it 16-13 to France at the break - a lead they only held after a Tom Jordan score was disallowed just before the break.

However, the hosts took control from there. Nervy in the opening half, the French were dominant in the second.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey equalled the all-time single season championship try-scoring record when he landed his eighth of the campaign. Then Ramos and Moefana, again, took France clear as a depleted Scotland faltered.

Ramos made it 3-0 with the boot early on and, amid the next French onslaught, Ritchie got binned.

Scotland were scrambling to survive, but could only hold out for so long.

Eventually the dam burst when Gael Fickou put some neat footwork on Zander Fagerson before putting Moefana in for a score converted by Ramos.

It was the dream beginning for the title-chasers, but that feelgood slowly faded as Scotland came into it. Orchestrated by Russell, they took risks in going wide, playing with an abandon that troubled France.

Midway through the half, as Scotland started asking questions.

Mauvaka got a yellow for what looked like a flying headbutt on Ben White. The hooker was fortunate it wasn't red. He lost the plot in that moment and Russell took advantage when banging over a penalty to make it 10-3

Ritchie returned, Ramos fired over another penalty, then Scotland silenced the Stade with a try.

Russell pulled the strings throughout, moving France this way and that. When he pulled the trigger, he popped a gorgeous inside pass to Graham, who sped away from Uini Atonio to score.

Russell's conversion made it 13-0 and suddenly France weren't looking too clever.

Perhaps spooked by Scotland's freewheeling approach, they were a world away from the dominant force that did such a number on Ireland last weekend.

That would change, emphatically so, but France had to work their way some dicey moments first. They experienced more turbulence when Gros was yellow-carded for a high tackle before Russell and Ramos exchanged penalties.

Then, as half-time approached, Scotland launched a devastated counter-attack through Blair Kinghorn, who scythed through the French defence.

It all ended with Tom Jordan battering his way over, but France were spared when Kinghorn was ruled to have had a foot in touch.

Respite for Les Bleus and from there on, they thundered home like champions.

When Russell and Graham got their wires crossed in attack, Romain Ntamack scooped up the loose ball, galloped away and found Bielle-Biarrey on his shoulder.

The Bordeaux wing ran in for yet another try in what has become an epic season.

Russell landed a penalty to keep Scotland within seven, but France put them away again in short order.

The mighty French bench had come on and they were having a major influence. The Ramos try that made it 28-16 had its origins in French maul power sapping the energy from the visitors.

Ramos converted his own score and now it was a 14-point game and, effectively, a done deal.

France's fourth, and Moefana's second, was a beauty, a gorgeous strike from Bielle-Biarrey, Fickou and then Moefana. Ruthless and beautiful in equal measure.

The home fans erupted at the last whistle. The cameras panned to the absent icon, Antoine Dupont - a man who did more than anybody to deliver this night of nights.

They would have wanted him out there but they didn't need him.

They have too much for Scotland and too much for everybody else, too, over the course of the seasons. Wonderful.

France: 15-Ramos; 14-Penaud, 13-Fickou, 12-Moefana, 11-Bielle-Biarrey; 10-Ntamack, 9-Lucu; 1-Gros, 2-Mauvaka, 3-Atonio, 4-Flament, 5-Guillard, 6-Cros, 7-Boudehent, 8-Alldritt (capt).

Replacements: 16-Marchand, 17-Baille, 18-Aldegheri, 19-Auradou, 20-Meafou, 21-Jegou, 22-Jelonch, 23-Le Garrec.

Scotland: 15-Kinghorn; 14-Graham, 13-Jones, 12-Jordan, 11-Van der Merwe; 10-Russell (co-capt), 9-White; 1-Schoeman, 2-Cherry, 3-Z Fagerson, 4-Brown, 5-Gilchrist, 6-Ritchie, 7-Darge (co-capt), 8-M Fagerson.

Replacements: 16-Ashman, 17-Sutherland, 18-Hurd, 19-Johnson, 20-Sykes, 21-Muncaster, 22-Dobie, 23-McDowall.