It all comes down to this. The final game of this year’s Guinness Six Nations arrives with the destination of the trophy on the line.
Can France claim the bonus-point victory – by the required margin of 21 or more points – they need to lift their first Championship since 2010?
Or will Scotland end their campaign on a high and ensure Wales are champions for the second time in three years?
Vote for your Guinness Six Nations try of Round 5
The stakes couldn’t be higher at the Stade de France – and you can make sure you’re across all the possible permutations with our guide.
Both Fabien Galthie and Gregor Townsend are currently mulling over their selections as they look to build on victories in Round 5.
Will they stick with a winning formula or opt to shake things up on the final weekend? Here’s when we’ll find out those all-important teams…
WEDNESDAY
FRANCE – 11.30AM (UK TIME)
Both sides are due to announce their line-ups on Wednesday lunchtime and France are first out the blocks, with Galthie expected to reveal his choices at 11.30am (UK time).
The news that Matthieu Jalibert will be absent through injury was not the way Les Bleus would have liked to start the week but Romain Ntamack is waiting in the wings.
The leading point scorer in last year’s Championship looks in line for his first start of the 2021 campaign and will be eager to provide a reminder as to his supreme talent.
Louis Carbonel, another gifted No.10, has taken Jalibert’s place in the squad in the only change to the training group which prepared for the titanic clash with Wales last weekend.
Mercurial scrum-half Antoine Dupont, meanwhile, needs one score to draw level with Louis Rees-Zammit and Anthony Watson on four at the top of this season’s try-scoring charts.
SCOTLAND – 12.30PM
Around an hour after France’s matchday squad is made public, Gregor Townsend will face the media to explain his own selections for the trip to Paris.
The options at Townsend’s disposal have been boosted by English Premiership clubs agreeing to release their players for international duty.
This means the likes of captain Stuart Hogg, his Exeter Chiefs teammate Sam Skinner and Gloucester centre Chris Harris are available to journey across the Channel and aid Scotland’s cause for a second consecutive victory.
Like Dupont, Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe has three tries to his name going into Friday’s clash and will be looking to claim at least a share of top spot.
Scotland have not won in Paris since 1999 but have ended similar hoodoos at Twickenham and in Wales over the past six months and will travel with confidence following a big win over Italy in Round 5.
