On March 15, 2025, the French national rugby team, often referred to as the Bleus, clinched the Six Nations Tournament title for the year, marking their return to the top three years after their last championship victory. The decisive moment came during their match at the Stade de France, where they bested Scotland with a score of 35-16 during the tournament's final round, making it the perfect capstone to their campaign.
The Bleus entered the match needing just to win to secure the championship, having successfully maneuvered their way through the competition. With this victory, France not only regained the title but also set several records, including scoring the most tries ever during a Six Nations tournament—an impressive 30, surpassing England's previous record.
France's performance this year saw them end the tournament with 18 points, edging out England by just one point and leaving behind Ireland by two. The team's victory was sweetened by their ability to recover from earlier stumbles against England and their captain Antoine Dupont. They had begun their campaign with a resounding 43-0 defeat of Wales before faltering slightly with a narrow 25-26 loss against England. This was followed by victories over Italy (73-24) and Ireland (42-27), where Dupont suffered a serious knee injury.
Despite his absence on the field due to ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, Dupont was present to lead his teammates as they lifted the trophy, underscoring the strong team spirit and unity within the squad. "This match was very difficult; we did not expect this scenario. Scotland played without pressure, and it was tense for us," said head coach Fabien Galthié during his post-match interview on France 2.
The match began with promise as the Bleus took the lead at 10-0, starting with a penalty kick from Thomas Ramos (3rd minute) followed by Yoram Moefana's try (18th minute) converted by Ramos. Despite their advantage, France found themselves briefly hampered after receiving two yellow cards—one to Peato Mauvaka for unsportsmanlike conduct and the other to Jean-Baptiste Gros for repeated fouls—allowing Scotland to narrow the score to 13-10 with Darcy Graham's try (29th minute).
Fabien Galthié remarked at halftime, "We knew we could do much more. There was a slightly nervous state due to the stakes involved. We had to break the pressure during the break. After the interval, France's forwards surged back with offensive plays, securing their victory and setting new tournament records.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey, a standout during the tournament, scored his eighth try late in the game after intercepting a pass from Romain Ntamack, bringing the score to 23-13 at the 44th minute. Ramos soon increased the lead again, scoring at the 58th minute to make it 30-16, with Moefana adding the final touches at the 62nd minute for the bonus point try, sealing the game at 35-16.
Celebrations erupted at the Stade de France, with 78,226 spectators witnessing France's triumph. Ramos, displaying exceptional skill throughout the tournament, ended the match with twenty points and became the record holder for the most points scored by any player for the French team at 450, surpassing the previous total set by Frédéric Michalak of 436.
This championship marks the seventh title for France since the Six Nations expanded to include six teams back in 2000, tying them with England for the most titles under the current format. National pride ran high as they looked forward to future competitions, especially following their heartbreak during the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup on home soil, where they were eliminated by South Africa with a narrow 28-29 score.
After the final whistle, Ramos shared his feelings with the media, stating, "For sure, we play to win titles. It is such a relief to finally win again after two years watching others lift trophies." This victory also serves as recognition of the hard work and strategy implemented by coach Fabien Galthié since he took the reins back in 2020, during which time France has progressed significantly on the international stage.
Looking back at the tournament, the format played out dramatically, with four teams initially vying for victory as they entered the final rounds. Earlier on the same day, Ireland had defeated Italy (22-17) and England had secured a bonus-point win against Wales (68-14) to momentarily lead the standings, placing added pressure on the Bleus before their match. With England's results, the path remained clear for France: victory would guarantee their championship. They delivered at the Stade de France, and the cheers of their supporters echoed long after the final score was recorded.