England head coach Steve Borthwick previews Six Nations at launch in Rome

France and Wales kick off the Six Nations under the Friday night lights in Paris as another thrilling edition of rugby’s greatest annual championship begins.

Warren Gatland’s side are winless since the 2023 World Cup having gone the entirety of 2024 without Test success, and face a tough opening task in a tournament that their head coach begins under pressure. A callow squad has been bolstered somewhat by some veteran returnees but doubts remain if they have the pieces in place to challenge a French side targeting the title.

The hosts welcome back captain Antoine Dupont after his absence was keenly felt last year as he chased, and eventually achieved, sevens gold at Paris 2024. With Romain Ntamack, Gregory Alldritt, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and the rest, Fabien Galthie again boasts a potent combination as his side seek just a second tournament triumph since 2010.

Follow all of the action from the opening clash at the Stade de France in our live blog below:

France 7-0 Wales

Antoine Dupont is so good he now seems to be rehearsing his try-scoring plays. Minutes after a cross-kick landed on green grass with not a teammate in sight, the scrum half nails the skill again to land one in the hands of Theo Attisogbe, this time reading from the same script. A first try for Attisogbe, whose time in the side may be brief with hope that Damian Penaud might be back fit for England next week.

Harry Latham-Coyle at the Stade de France

Harry Latham-Coyle at the Stade de France31 January 2025 20:41

France 7-0 Wales, 20 mins

Damian who? France apparently not missing the injured Penaud as Attisogbe steps in perfectly, although that try was all about Dupont. Showing exactly wht he’s the best player in the world.

Luke Baker31 January 2025 20:39

TRY! France 7-0 Wales (Theo Attisogbe, 18 mins)

France go wide to Bielle-Biarrey but Wales scramble and hold for now. France still five meres out, penalty coming…

A free play and they make it count in style! It’s sumptuous by Dupont as he picks the ball at the base, runs backwards and lofts a perfect cross-field kick into the arms of a sprinting Theo Attisogbe who can dot down on the right wing. Sublime!

Ramos adds the touchline conversion. France lead by seven

Luke Baker31 January 2025 20:37

France 0-0 Wales, 17 mins

Wales in trouble in their own 22 as a French counter-ruck has them battling to retain the ball. The clearance barely makes it out of the 22 and this is a great foundation for France.

Alldritt with a powerful carry into the 22, inch by inch they’re getting closer. Atonio takes them five metres out and Barassi has a dart. They’re nearly at the line…

Luke Baker31 January 2025 20:35

France 0-0 Wales, 15 mins

Wales proving themselves a right nuisance here and a dink over the top causes more issues as Rogers claims it.

But France force them backwards and Dupont blitzes out of the defence, gets in Tompkins’s eye-line and the ball hits the floor. Boudehent hacks on and the flanker looks to be winning the foot race for the ball near the line but as he tries to dive on it, he knocks forward. Wales survive.

Luke Baker31 January 2025 20:34

France 0-0 Wales, 13 mins

Wales win the scrum and this is a chance to get some points. Decent carry on a nice line by Rogers but eventually, France win the turnover at the ruck and can clear.

Good defence by the home side.

Luke Baker31 January 2025 20:31

France vs Wales

A Mexican wave inside ten minutes is perhaps more a reflection of an impatient crowd than a game that is livening up quite nicely. Wales have scrambled effectively on a couple of occasions defensively, and have painted some nice initial shapes in attack; France are clearly keen to play but just haven’t quite got their accuracy right yet.

Harry Latham-Coyle at the Stade de France

Harry Latham-Coyle at the Stade de France31 January 2025 20:30

France 0-0 Wales, 11 mins

Wales won’t mind this start at all – 10 minutes and they haven’t conceded. Defensively, especially, they’ve looked decent

Now they pinch the ball in the French half and Morgan makes another powerful carry to gain metres. Ben Thomas then tries a dinked cross-kick towards Rogers, he contests with Ramos and the ball hits the deck for a knock-on.

Wales scrum in the French 22

Luke Baker31 January 2025 20:29

France 0-0 Wales, 10 mins

Frustrating knock-on for Wales as Watkin fumbles a low pass. First scrum of the day, just inside the Welsh half… Remember we’ve got a new law where the opposition scrum half has to stay further back and can’t harry the No 9 putting in.

Dupont doesn’t need much time to create something anyway… But he won’t get a chance as, after a couple of resets, France ar epinged for engaging early and it’s a Welsh free-kick. They happily clear

Luke Baker31 January 2025 20:26

France 0-0 Wales, 7 mins

More good defence by Wales as Barassi, the new French centre gets smashed and the ball bounces into touch. French lineout though as it came off a Welsh hand.

Lovely play by France down the right, Moefana releasing winger Theo Attisogbe – in for the injured Penaud – and he’s into the 22. Good tackle by Reffell to stop the offload.

And a phase later, it’s great breakdown work by Reffell again to pinch the ball and win the penalty. Talk about making an impact as a blood substitute

Luke Baker31 January 2025 20:24