France head into this clash in far stronger form and with greater cohesion, while Wales are still rebuilding and looking for consistency at both ends of the pitch. The visitors’ attacking sharpness, with the added influence of Dupont, combined with their physical edge up front, should give them the upper hand.

Thousands of tickets remain unsold, with one club chairman suggesting the matches aren't worth it.

PARIS (AP) — France began its Six Nations title defense with five tries and a bonus point after a dominant 36-14 win against Ireland on Thursday. France scored a tournament-record 30 tries last year and a rout looked on the cards at a rainy Stade de France.

France and La Rochelle tighthead prop Uini Atonio suffered a heart attack and will retire from rugby with immediate effect. He is recovering in intensive care. Atonio withdrew from a French Top 14 game against Clermont Auvergne on Sunday after feeling chest pain during the warm-up.

DAVID WALLACE has compared Ireland’s current predicament at the Six Nations to a “low point” from his own rugby career. Andy Farrell’s men lost their opening game to France

PARIS — Rugby star Sébastien Chabal won two Six Nations titles with France, reached a World Cup semifinal and played 62 times for his nation as a powerful forward. But he does not remember any of it due to memory loss stemming from the concussions he ...

Likable and articulate, Ward was a distraction and an innocent in many ways. He hadn’t played against France and wouldn’t be involved against Italy. He was there to draw eyes away from the constant thrum of negativity, to deflect from the Irish performance and spin out a positive, breakthrough narrative.

France rugby captain Antoine Dupont ruptured cruciate ligaments in his right knee during the win over Ireland in the Six Nations, denying the superstar scrumhalf the chance to potentially lead his team to the title next weekend. Dupont gave the update on ...

Tomas Francis may be relishing a rugby life in France full of oysters and champagne but the prop insists it "means everything" to represent Wales again. "They serve oysters on the side of the pitch, they have champagne.