Rugby
France vs Scotland Preview: Odds, Tips, and Prediction
France will tackle Scotland in the final game of the Six Nations campaign at the Stade de France in what will likely be a pivotal game on Saturday, March 15. So far, France have been exceptional, and they will be targeting their first title since 2022 when they went the entire campaign unbeaten. Scotland, meanwhile, can’t finish any lower than fourth, but Gregor Townsend’s men will be looking to defy the odds in Paris. Rugby betting sites will readily have lines available for this game, so let SportsBoom provide you with all the insights. We have got value France vs Scotland betting odds too.
Scotland v France - Guinness Six Nations//Getty Images
Pre-Game Odds and Win Availability
The permutations are clear for France. An outright victory over Scotland with a bonus point (BP) will take Les Bleus to 21 points, and they have a far better points differential compared to England and Ireland.
Online betting sites will be flooded with markets for this crunch game, and this has influenced our France vs Scotland preview. Let’s see what the odds are saying:
- Home Win: 1/10 (1.10) – 90.9%
- Draw: 39/1 (40.00) – 2.5%
- Away Win: 6/1 (7.00) – 14.3%
Head-to-Head Record
To make any informed Scotland match prediction, run through the key stats to see which way the game could swing.
We have published results from the past five editions of the Six Nations between France and Scotland to give a clue of how the game might unfold.
Last Five Meetings
| Year | Venue | Result |
| 2024 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | Scotland 16-20 France |
| 2023 | Stade de France, Paris | France 32-21 Scotland |
| 2022 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | Scotland 17-36 France |
| 2021 | Paris, France | France 23-27 Scotland |
| 2020 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | Scotland 28-17 France |
France Current Form (WLWW)
France have been in formidable form. Bar the 26-25 reverse against England at Twickenham, they have struck the right chords.
Two of their Six Nations were by a margin of more than 45 points, and despite missing their star player Antoine Dupont for a large chunk of the competition, Fabien Galthié’s men are showing the kind of form that saw them storm to the title in 2022.
Key Players to Watch
To maximise your rugby betting strategies, we suggest looking at the teams and assess which players could take the game by the scruff of the neck. We have outlined France’s main jewels:
- Thomas Ramos: A talisman, Thomas Ramos is on the brink of making Six Nations history. He’s scored 430 points for his country, and he’s just six points short of equalling the legendary Frédéric Michalak. All eyes will be on Ramos against Scotland.
- Thibaud Flament: Playing in the second row, Thibaud Flament excels in lineouts. At the time of writing, he’s got an 85% tackle success rate. Duhan van der Merwe might not have it all his own way!
- Damian Penaud: Against Ireland, Damian Penaud became France’s all-time top try scorer with 38 to his name after earning his 55th cap. He still has some way to go to match global legends such as South Africa’s Bryan Habana (67 tries in 124 caps), but he could be a thorn in the Scotland side.
France Team News
Apart from star scrum-half Antoine Dupont who is ruled out for up to nine months with an ACL injury, Les Bleus have a clean bill of health.
Scotland Current Form (WLLW)
Scotland have come a long way under Townsend. The narrow defeat to the auld enemy England would have been painful, particularly the missed penalties.
Nevertheless, Scotland will take inspiration from the 27-21 win over France in Paris four years ago, and they will be eager to deflate Les Bleus’ titles hopes.
Key Players to Watch
- Finn Russell: Often referred to as the Lionel Messi of Scottish rugby, Finn Russell is the creative spark. He will need to be at his imperious best if Scotland are to triumph against France.
- Blair Kinghorn: Blair Kinghorn strengthened his case for a place in the Lions Test team by powering home two tries in the victory over Wales. He has come of age during the Six Nations.
- Duhan Van der Merwe: While he didn’t contribute to Scotland’s five tries against Wales, Duhan Van der Merwe is a livewire, so France will need to be switched on.
Predicted Line-Ups
The official line-ups haven’t been released, but once they do, rugby betting sportsbooks will have a series of team and individual props for punters to sink their teeth into.
Sportsbooks will also have a range of rugby betting offers, incorporating best signup sports betting deals to keep players on side. Anyway, we’ve revealed who could make the starting XVs this weekend.
France
Forwards:
- Props (1 & 3): Jean-Baptiste Gros, Uini Atonio
- Hooker (2): Peato Mauvaka
- Locks (4 & 5): Thibaud Flament, Mickaël Guillard
- Flankers (6 & 7): François Cros, Paul Boudehent
- Number 8 (8): Grégory Alldritt
Backs:
- Scrum-half (9): Maxime Lucu
- Fly-Half (10): Romain Ntamack
- Centres (12 & 13): Yoram Moefana, Pierre-Louis Barassi
- Wings (11 & 14): Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Damian Penaud
- Fullback (15): Thomas Ramos
Scotland
Forwards:
- Props (1 & 3): Pierre Schoeman, Zander Ferguson
- Hooker (2): Dave Cherry
- Locks (4 & 5): Jonny Gray, Grant Gilchrist
- Flankers (6 & 7): Jamie Ritchie, Rory Darge (co-captain)
- Number 8 (8): Jack Dempsey
Backs:
- Scrum-half (9): Ben White
- Fly-Half (10): Adam Hastings
- Centres (12 & 13): Tom Jordan, Huw Jones
- Wings (11 & 14): Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham
- Fullback (15): Blair Kinghorn
Suggested Bets
If you love to bet on rugby games, the following tips might be worth tapping into:
France to win by 15+ points: As mentioned, France have brushed aside teams, and they have barely broken sweat. They could claim a comfortable victory in Paris. (1/2 with Stake)
France Over 40.5 points: France have kept the scoreboard ticking over, and they have blown some teams away with ease. In terms of rugby betting tips, France to amass Over 40.5 points is inviting. (9/10 with Betway)
France Race to 10 points: France have fared well over the years, and Scotland could struggle to break the lines. Galthie’s side to win the Race to 10 points is worth locking down. (1/4 with Sportsbet.io)
Value Bets
For our France vs Scotland predictions, we have leaned into other value markets from the best betting sites for rugby:
1st Half Highest Scoring: Rugby games tend to be more dramatic in the second half, however, France could be out of sight at half-time. The first half to the highest scoring appears to be an appetising option. (21/20 with N1Bet)
France HT/FT Result: We fancy France to prevail in 80 minutes, but we think
they will be virtually in full control from the start, hence why we’ve backed
them in the HT/FT market. (33/100 with 1xBet)France first to score: France have been quick out of the blocks during the Six Nations, and as the home side combined with their excellent record at the Stade de France, we think they could break the deadlock. (21/50 with Sportsbet.io)
Prediction: France to score Over 40.5 points
Reliable bookmakers for betting will be eagerly anticipating this game. Although Scotland will give it a right good go, the gap between them and France is noticeable.
Despite Dupont’s absence, they can still hurt the Scots. It could be an emphatic victory. In terms of the best bets, France to amass Over 40.5 points during the 80 minutes is the standout pick.
Charles Perrin is a highly experienced sports betting content writer with over six years of working with some of the leading sportsbooks in the UK, including bet365 and William Hill.
SportsBoom offers honest and impartial bookmaker reviews to help you make informed choices. While we may earn commissions through affiliate links, our content remains independent and free from promotional influence.