France vs Wales live score, updates and highlights as Les Bleus make last stand to retain Six Nations title
Wales travel to Paris to complete their Six Nations season after clinching their first tournament win last time in Rome against a French side who simply must win if they are to have any chance of retaining their crown.
France played like a completely different side to the one that stormed into the 2022 Grand Slam, but things finally got going against England at Twickenham as Les Bleus recorded the biggest win the tournament has seen in many years.
π«π· Encounters between Cymru and Ffrainc always see moments
π₯Remember Tips’ chip that led to a Josh Adams result in 2021?#WelshRugby | #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/BEn1LcZ58E
β Welsh Rugby union March 14, 2023
Wales barely put Ireland, Scotland and England in the face in their first three games but eventually showed composure and assertiveness to defeat Italy in Rome. Three first-half tries gave the visitors a nice lead at the break and Taulupe Faletau’s second-half goal sealed a bonus point.
France need a four-try bonus point to temporarily overtake Ireland in the championship race. If they can do that before the final of the tournament in Dublin, they have a chance to defend the title. However, Warren Gatland’s time in the Welsh dugout proved they can never be written off and set the stage for an almighty showdown at Saint-Denis.
The Sporting News is following the game live with commentary and highlights below.
MORE: A History of the Six Nations: Records, Trophies and Greatest Players
France vs Wales live score
| 1H | 2H | FT | |
| France | 0 | – | – |
| Wales | 7 | – | – |
Try: north
conversions: Bigger
Punish:
France vs Wales Live Commentary, Highlights
13 minutes: Wales tries to react in tow as they scatter the ball wide to the right. Adams burns down the wing but is caught and dumped north just before being rolled over the sideline!
11 minutes: TRY – France 7-7 Wales! Absolutely crazy game as France reacts immediately! With penalty advantage, Ntamack kicks, twists and slides through the line and bursts into the 22 before laying down to Dupont. He kicks wide and shoots a 25m pass at Penaud to dive in the corner and there’s France on the board! Ramos’ transition is successful and we’re level with the Stade de France!
8 minutes: TRY 0-7 France 7! Wales draws first blood! All the pressure finally had to show and after Owens pulls off a maul to be stopped just short of the line, Webb’s flat pass hits north and the center gallops under the post to score! Biggar converted and Wales’ brilliant start deservedly rewarded!
7 minutes: The visitors continue to put pressure on the French line and an offside penalty gives them another advantage. Webb goes to the corner and looks for Rees-Zammit, but nothing comes of and the game comes back for the penalty.
4 minutes: Wales work their way forward with strong carry after strong carry, eventually winning a penalty advantage for a ruck injury. Webb sticks his head through the line and releases Rees-Zammit on the blindside, whose back pass to Dyer hits the deck and bounces out!
2 minutes: Just! Wales wins an early penalty driven by the lineup towards the French whitewash. Captain Owens has it in the back for the visitors and is trying to get the ball down but there’s a pile of dead bodies underneath and he can’t get it down!
Begin: Dan Biggar starts for Wales and the second game of Super Saturday is up and running!
5 minutes to kick-off: The national anthems are in full swing and with the teams ready and energized, it’s kick-off in Saint-Denis!
10 minutes to kick-off: An expectant crowd is at the Stade de France, and here are the teams ahead of their final Six Nations game of 2023!
15 minutes to kick-off: Taulupe Faletau wins his 100th Welsh cap of the game, starting eighth in a pack that also includes returns of Alun Wyn Jones and Aaron Wainwright. George North and Nick Tompkins start in the middle, while Louis Rees-Zammit plays full-back for Wales.
30 minutes to kick-off: Les Bleus have made two changes from the side that wiped out England at Twickenham, both of which belong in the field. Uini Atonio is back at the top after his suspension and Romain Taofifienua starts on the back line after coming on as a substitute in France’s first four games.
45 minutes to kick-off: France’s win over England last time out will certainly provide a boost of its own as they score seven tries in their 53-10 win and doom England to their biggest defeat at Twickenham. It was a complete effort by Les Bleus and if they play anywhere near as well today Wales will be up against them from the start.
60 minutes to kick-off: Warren Gatland’s return to Welsh head coach hasn’t quite gone according to plan so far, but after Wales have lost their first three games of the tournament, Wales’ bonus point win against Italy last weekend should be an incentive to end their tournament on a high at the Stade de France.
75 minutes to kick-off: France are currently second in the table, four points behind leaders and Grand Slam favorites Ireland. Only a win and a four-try bonus point can put them in first place, and even that is only temporary before Ireland take on England in the final game of this year’s Championship.
90 minutes until kick-off: Hello and welcome to our Super Saturday coverage! It’s the last day of the Six Nations 2023 and with Scotland v Italy already underway, France v Wales in Saint-Denis could prove a key game to decide the fate of the title.
France vs Wales confirmed lineups
Thomas Ramos is on course to finish this year’s Six Nations as the top points-scorer, with his 68 so far more than double the 32 of nearest challenger Finn Russell. The full-back’s early attempt began with an afternoon of free-scoring madness at Twickenham and Ramos retains the 15-shirt in an unchanged defensive line that also features another goalscorer Damien Penaudwho crossed on the right edge for a late brace against England.
France’s only changes come in the forwards, with Boulder-like support Uini Atonio back in trouble after being suspended for a high tackle against Ireland. He replaces Dorian Aldegheri up front Romain Taofifienua come in the second row next to it Thibaud Flamentthe next flanker Karl Ollivon scored twice at Twickenham as Les Bleus raged.
ππͺ De retour au @StadeFrance in 3 days for the dernier match de ce #SixNations2023 !#FRAPDG #XVdeFrance #NeFaisonsXV
Qui sera la? ππ pic.twitter.com/umPSdfexNF
β France Rugby (@FranceRugby) March 15, 2023
France from XV: Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Ethan Dumortier, Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont; Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, Uini Atonio, Thibaud Flament, Romain Taofenua, Francois Cros, Charles Ollivon, Gregory Alldritt.
France Substitute: Peato Mauvaka, Reda Wardi, Sipili Falatea, Bastien Chalureau, Sekou Macalou, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana, Melvyn Jaminet.
π€© Voici π£π€π©π§π πΜπ¦πͺππ₯π for Affronter le Pays de Galles for le Dernier Match de Cette Edition 2023 du #SixNations π΄amidal.com
π Samedi 18.03 | 15H45
ποΈ @StadeFrance #NeFaisonsXV #FRAPDG pic.twitter.com/PoxkxAsjeaβ France Rugby (@FranceRugby) March 16, 2023
As in all four of Wales’ games in the tournament so far, Warren Gatland heralds more changes for this final game, with Wales still within reach of third place if other results go his way. Louis Rees-Zammit will look to launch Welsh attacks from behind in place of the injured Liam Williams, with a physical center partnership of George North And Nick Tomkins chosen to compete with France in midfield.
π΄ Runde π― π― One of the greatest Welsh players of all time to make it π― for his country.#Awaken Anticipation | #FRAvWAL pic.twitter.com/lq7PPKmDAQ
β Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 16, 2023
Taulupe Faletau scored the bonus point in Rome to seal Wales’ fourth try and the Tonga-born number eight will earn his 100th cap for Wales in the game, alongside himself and his regulars Justin Tipuric the returnees joined in the back row Aaron Wainwright. Alun Wyn Jones is also back in the XV, bringing a world record 157 caps with him as Wales look to end a very difficult tournament on a high.
Wales from XV: Louis Rees-Zammit, Josh Adams, George North, Nick Tompkins, Rio Dyer, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Aaron Wainwright, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.
Wales Substitute: Bradley Roberts, Gareth Thomas, Dillon Lewis, Dafydd Jenkins, Tommy Reffell, Tomos Williams, Owen Williams, Leigh Halfpenny.
The @WelshRugbyUnion Team that will face France in Paris #GreatSaturdayβ‘οΈ#Awaken Anticipation | #FRAvWAL pic.twitter.com/Qw3NSMklGb
β Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 16, 2023
MORE: How France won the 2022 Six Nations Grand Slam
France vs Wales Live Stream, TV Channels
Here’s how you can follow the game in some of the key areas:
| TV channel | stream | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | β | fuboTV, Peacock, CNBC |
| Canada | β |
DAZN |
| United Kingdom | itv 1 | ITVX |
| Australia | β | Stan sports |
| New Zealand | β | Sky Sports NOW |
| India | β | Premier Sports Asia |
| Hong Kong | β | Premier Sports Asia |
| Malaysia | β | Premier Sports Asia |
| Singapore | β | Premier Sports Asia |
USA: All matches are streamed live on Peacock and are also available via fuboTV. However, they are also repeated on CNBC with a delay, usually by a few hours.
Canada: All games are streamed live on DAZN.
UNITED KINGDOM: The tournament will be shown on BBC and ITV, with S4C also broadcasting in Wales. This game will be shown on ITV 1.
Australia: Six Nations coverage is provided by Stan Sport.
India: Premier Sports Asia is the premier venue to watch the Six Nations.
France vs Wales odds
As expected, Les Bleus are strong favorites to win this Super Saturday clash in Saint-Denis and none of our partner bookmakers seem to be giving Wales a chance. The lowest odds on a Welsh win are offered by BetMGM and Sports Interaction at +900 and $9.00 respectively, both of which are far off compared to the French odds.
Both Sports Interaction and Neds have just $1.04 for France to win, while Bet MGM’s -3300 is the opposite of their +3300 offer on a tie! Sky Bet’s odds are slightly higher, but still only 1/25, with anything but a home win seeming unlikely.
| United Kingdom (Sky Bet) | United States (BetMGM) |
Canada (sports interaction) |
Australia (Ned’s) | |
| France wins | 1/25 | -3300 | 1.04 | 1.04 |
| Pull | 40/1 | +3300 | 35.00 | 41.00 |
| Wales wins | 1.10 | +900 | 9.00 | 9.50 |