Six Nations 2023: France 41-28 Wales - Les Bleus win keeps title hopes alive

France kept live their hopes of retaining the Six Nations with a bonus-point triumph against Wales successful Paris.

Thomas Ramos kicked 16 points, portion Bradley Roberts, Tomos Williams and Rio Dyer crossed for Wales.

Ireland look England astatine 17:00 GMT and request to debar decision to triumph the title.

France picked up from their grounds 53-10 triumph against England astatine Twickenham with caput manager Fabien Galthie lone making 2 changes with the inclusion of prop Uini Atonio and fastener Romain Taofifenua.

So Les Bleus caput to the World Cup successful their ain state aboriginal this twelvemonth having won 17 retired of the past 18 matches and ranked 2nd successful the world.

In contrast, Wales person present mislaid 13 retired of the past 17 games and prevarication successful ninth successful the satellite rankings arsenic they ponder wherever they spell from present pursuing different underwhelming Six Nations campaign.

Warren Gatland's broadside person emulated the Wayne Pivac squad of past twelvemonth with lone 1 triumph and 4 defeats successful this campaign, resulting successful different fifth-place finish.

Wales knew earlier the crippled they would not assertion the Wooden Spoon with Italy finishing bottommost of the Six Nations array for an 18th clip since 2000.

But the visitors' fans volition beryllium encouraged by the battling second-half show that astatine slightest ensured Wales permission Paris with a losing bonus constituent for scoring 4 tries.

Tinkerman and fond Six Nations farewells?

Gatland made six changes from the squad that defeated Italy to instrumentality the magnitude of alterations successful the tourney to 26 arsenic helium opted for acquisition successful Paris.

The Wales manager flagged the extremity of an epoch for Wales successful Paris connected Saturday by predicting "up to eight" players volition perchance marque their last Six Nations appearances. Defeat was not the farewell they would person wanted from this tournament.

The starting broadside boasted much than 1,000 caps, with 4 Welsh centurions erstwhile the crippled kicked disconnected astatine Stade de France.

Taulupe Faletau led the broadside retired arsenic helium became the eighth subordinate to play 100 Wales internationals pursuing successful the footsteps of Alun Wyn Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Dan Biggar, George North, Stephen Jones, Martyn Williams and Gareth Thomas.

There was a moment's applause earlier kick-off to people the archetypal day of the decease of erstwhile Argentina planetary Federico Martin Aramburu who was changeable dormant successful a drive-by shooting successful Paris a twelvemonth ago.

Wales showed aboriginal ambition by deciding to spell for an attacking line-out alternatively than a penalty, but it was repelled by France.

The diligent and persistent tactics continued and an fantabulous walk from scrum-half Rhys Webb allowed North to canter implicit for his 44th Wales effort and assistance him into the world's apical 10 effort scorers successful history. Biggar converted.

France responded astir instantly aft recalled Wales centre Nick Tompkins missed an attempted tackle connected Romain Ntamack with Antoine Dupont's agelong walk uncovering Penaud to people successful the corner.

France centre Fickou avoided a yellowish tackle for an amerciable tackle connected Wales fastener Alun Wyn Jones with the Wales fastener lifted supra the horizontal.

A fewer minutes aboriginal Jones had to spell disconnected the tract for a caput wounded assessment. He was temporarily replaced by Dafydd Jenkins, earlier returning.

Ramos extended the pb with 2 penalties earlier the rampant hosts released Danty connected the close manus broadside to people with Ramos kicking the conversion arsenic the hosts ominously led 20-7 astatine half-time.

The onslaught continued successful the 2nd fractional with the France onslaught pulling the Welsh defence from broadside to broadside earlier prop Atonio crossed for his archetypal effort successful his 50th international. Ramos again converted.

More to follow.

France: Ramos; Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Dumortier; Ntamack, Dupont (capt); Baille, Marchand, Atonio, Flament, Taofifenua, Cros, Ollivon, Alldritt

Replacements: Mauvaka, Wardi, Falatea, Chalureau, Macalou, Lucu, Moefana, Jaminet.

Wales: Rees-Zammit; Adams, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Biggar, Webb; Wyn Jones, Owens (capt), Francis, Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Wainwright, Tipuric, Faletau.

Replacements: Roberts, G Thomas, D Lewis, D Jenkins, Reffell, T Williams, O Williams, Halfpenny.

Match officials

Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)

Touch judges: Andrew Brace (Ireland) & Christophe Ridley (England)

TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)