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France duo Yoann Huget (R) and Wesley Fofana celebrate a try against Wales in the Six Nations

France v Scotland: Team line-ups, kick-off time, key quotes, predictions, odds and where to watch on TV

By Sporting Life

Rugby Union

Fri February 22, 2019 · 6y ago

Our guide to Saturday's Guinness Six Nations clash between France and Scotland in Paris includes team news, predictions, statistics and more.

What time is kick off & what channel is it on?

The match, which takes place in Paris, will start at 1415 GMT on Saturday February 23 and will be screened live on BBC 1.

France v Scotland: Team news

France team: T Ramos, D Penaud, M Bastareaud, G Fickou, Y Huget, R Ntamack, A Dupont, J Poirot, G Guirado, D Bamba, S Vahaamahina, F Lambey (Lyon), W Lauret, A Iturria, L Picamoles. Replacements: C Chat, E Falgoux, D Aldegheri, P Willemse, G Alldritt, J Serin, A Belleau, M Medard.

Scotland: B Kinghorn, T Seymou, N Grigg, S Johnson, S Maitland, P Horne, G Laidlaw; A Dell, S McInally, Simon Berghan, G Gilchrist, J Gray, M Bradbury, J Ritchie, J Strauss. Replacements: F Brown, A Allan, Z Fagerson, B Toolis, G Graham, A Price, A Hastings, D Graham.

Peter Horne has been handed the Scotland number 10 jersey for Saturday's Guinness Six Nations clash in France following injury to Finn Russell.

Full-back Blair Kinghorn and centre Nick Grigg have also come into the back division while fit-again back-row forward Magnus Bradbury has also earned a recall following his Edinburgh comeback last weekend.

All four changes to Gregor Townsend's team were enforced by injury following Scotland's defeat by Ireland.

Russell was ruled out with a head injury he suffered while playing for Racing 92 while Glasgow trio Stuart Hogg, Huw Jones and Ryan Wilson were all injured against Ireland.

France v Scotland: Odds & advice

France are 2/5 favourites to beat Scotland with Sky Bet and they're asked to concede six points on the handicap. Scotland are 7/4 and it's 20/1 the draw.

Click here to check out all Sky Bet's France v Scotland odds

Tony Calvin's verdict...

"A look at France’s recent record at home, that Fiji November defeat and Japan draw aside, suggests the performances have been there, if not the score lines. They somehow contrived to lose their tournament opener 24-19 to Wales, and it is worth remembering that, since 2017, they have lost only by a point to South Africa, two to Ireland in that match, and again by just three to the Springboks in November. In that period, they have also seen off England, Wales, Scotland and Argentina, so it is not all doom and gloom on their own turf." Click here for more

France v Scotland: Key quotes

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend on team changes...

"Injuries create opportunities for others to show what they can do and, throughout the past couple of seasons, we've seen a number of players really step up.

"All of the players coming in started against Argentina in the summer, which ranks as one of our best ever away performances.

"On top of that there is cohesion forged through familiarity at club level - Magnus in the back-row lines up with clubmate Jamie Ritchie, and Pete Horne and Nick Grigg are either side of Sam Johnson in the backs.

On this weekend's opponents...

"At home, France have played really well in the past two Championships. They were 16-0 up at half-time against Wales, and their previous Six Nations games before included a win over England and a last minute defeat to the eventual Irish team that went on to win the Grand Slam.

"They are a very dangerous opponent, combining power, ambition and skill. Their individual talent is outstanding and, when they get things right - which has predominantly been in the Six Nations at home - they've played with a real collective spirit and fed off the emotion of the crowd.

"They will certainly be fired up following their loss at Twickenham.

"Like France, we too are coming off the back of a defeat and want to show a better picture of ourselves and play closer to our potential.

"The players invested a huge amount of effort against Ireland and this energy will be essential once again this weekend."

Greig Laidlaw...

"France are a very dangerous team. They will probably be hurting from some of the things going around the media so we're expecting them to come out all guns blazing, which I know they will.

"Dupont and Ntamack are both excellent young rugby players. I think it's Ntamack's first start at 10 for France, while Dupont has been in excellent form for Toulouse in the Top 14.

"I think the fact they play together for Toulouse will help them. They are dangerous so we'll need to defend very smartly tomorrow."

France captain Guilhem Guirado...

"(Saturday's) game is a match a to save our honour because we were given a lesson two weeks ago.

"It's a home game and the stadium will be pretty much full. We are really focused on our rugby because we have corrected a lot of things this week compared to our last match.

"We know there's pressure on us, there's always pressure on the French national team - even if the results had been positive we would still be under pressure."

France v Scotland: Last four meetings

2018: Scotland 32-26 France, Murrayfield

2017: France 22-16 Scotland, Paris

2016: Scotland 29-18 France, Murrayfield

2015: France 19-16 Scotland, Paris

Six Nations fixtures and results

Round One (February 1-2)

France 19-24 Wales
Click here for match report
Scotland 33-20 Italy
Click here for match report
Ireland 20-32 England
Click here for match report

Round Two (February 9-10)

Scotland 13-22 Ireland
Click here for match report
Italy 15-26 Wales
Click here for match report
England 44-8 France
Click here for match report

Round Three (February 23-24)

France v Scotland, Saturday February 23, 1415 GMT, Stade de France, BBC 1
Wales v England, Saturday February 23, 1645 GMT, Principality Stadium, BBC 1 & S4C
Italy v Ireland, Sunday February 24, 1500 GMT, Stadio Olimpico, ITV 1

Round Four (March 9-10)