University Student Poised to Break Try-Scoring Record as France Aims for Six Nations Glory

As the Six Nations championship reaches its climax, France faces Scotland on Sunday (AEDT) at Stade de France with the title—and a flurry of records—on the line.

Dynamic wingers Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud are poised to chase record-setting tries, while kicker Thomas Ramos aims to maximise conversions for a revitalised French team eager to bounce back from a disappointing defeat to England.

However, surpassing England’s historic points difference from 2001 presents a significant challenge, especially in the absence of injured scrum-half Antoine Dupont. Let’s take a closer look at the potential records at stake.

Record-Breaking Run

Bielle-Biarrey’s lightning speed down the left wing has seen him rack up seven tries in four matches, putting him just two short of the tournament record. At just 21, he can claim the all-time title with two more tries against Scotland, surpassing England’s Cyril Lowe and Scotland’s Ian Smith, who both scored eight during the Five Nations era.

Having made an explosive debut at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Bielle-Biarrey has since made waves by scoring in an unprecedented seven consecutive Tests for France, accumulating 17 tries from only 18 appearances.

Penaud’s Quest for Greatness

On the opposite wing, Damian Penaud — who plays alongside Bielle-Biarrey at Bordeaux Bègles — is just one try away from eclipsing Serge Blanco and becoming France’s all-time leading men’s try-scorer. Both currently stand at 38 tries.

Penaud might have already broken this record if not for a missed outing due to a toe injury against Wales and being dropped after a lacklustre performance against England. His tally stands at 38 tries from 55 matches, while Blanco achieved his in 93 games, alongside his accomplishments as a talented kicker.

Ramos Chases Michalak

Known for his precision kicking, Ramos has also showcased his skills as a fullback and strong runner. He currently leads the tournament with 51 points and needs just seven more to become France’s all-time leading points scorer.

By scoring two penalties and a conversion against Scotland, Ramos could surpass Frédéric Michalak’s all-time tally of 436 points, placing him ahead of Christophe Lamaison (380 points) and Dimitri Yachvili (373 points) in the French scoring records. At 29, he still has ample time to eclipse these records and set new milestones.

NEW PODCAST! The panel discusses the implications of Nick Phipps’ controversial remarks regarding the great north vs south debate.

French Attack in Full Force

France has achieved a remarkable feat by scoring 26 tries across four matches—its highest tally in a single tournament. To set a new record, the team will need to score four tries against Scotland.

Under the guidance of coach Fabien Galthié, the French side opened the tournament with an emphatic 43-0 victory over Wales, scoring seven tries at Stade de France.

Despite a narrow loss to England (26-25), where handling errors hampered their performance, they rebounded spectacularly by netting 11 tries in a historic 73-24 win against Italy.

France continued its strong form with a sophisticated five-try performance against Ireland in Dublin last weekend, sealing a 42-27 victory, even while playing without the star power of Dupont for half the match.

Chasing England’s Points Record

In 2001, a Jonny Wilkinson-led England team clinched the title with an extraordinary points difference of +149, despite losing their final match to Ireland.

Currently, France boasts a positive points difference of 106, which means they must defeat Scotland by at least 44 points on Sunday (AEDT) to surpass England’s record.

A monumental win to secure the title would be a fitting return to glory for France, marking their first championship since 2022.