Scotland travel to France looking to make it a hat-trick of wins to start the 2023 Guinness Six Nations, having won their opening two games for the first time since 1996.
Gregor Townsend’s side have picked up a maximum ten points from a trip to England and the home clash with Wales, and now head to the Stade de France looking to build on that success.
They face last year’s champions who know that only a win will keep their hopes of defending their title alive, having lost for the first time in 18 months on their trip to Dublin in Round 2.
France team news
France have made just one change for their clash with Scotland as Mohamed Haouas replaces the suspended Uini Atonio.
The La Rochelle tighthead is out of action following his dangerous tackle in the defeat to Ireland in Dublin.
Haouas was not involved in the first two games, but started Fabien Galthié’s reign as the first choice tighthead.
And he has been given the nod to start against Scotland, with Sipili Falatea remaining on the bench.
Elsewhere, Antoine Dupont will captain the side once again, combining with Romain Ntamack in the half-backs, with Yoram Moefana and Gaël Fickou making up the centre pairing.
The back three is made up of Damian Penaud, Ethan Dumortier and Thomas Ramos, while up front Haouas will pack down with Cyril Baille and Julien Marchand.
Behind them Paul Willemse and Thibaud Flament will continue in the second row, with an unchanged back row of Anthony Jelonch, Charles Ollivon and Grégory Alldritt.
France team to face Scotland: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Gaël Fickou, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Ethan Dumortier, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 1 Cyril Baille, 2 Julien Marchand, 3 Mohamed Haouas, 4 Thibaud Flament, 5 Paul Willemse, 6 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Charles Ollivon, 8 Grégory Alldritt
Replacements: 16 Gaëtan Barlot, 17 Reda Wardi, 18 Sipili Falatea, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 François Cros, 21 Sekou Macalou, 22 Baptiste Couilloud, 23 Matthieu Jalibert
Scotland team news
Hamish Watson will make his return for Scotland as the only change for their trip to Paris.
The openside flanker, the 2021 Guinness Six Nations Player of the Championship, missed the first two rounds of action as he recovered from a head injury.
In his absence, Luke Crosbie started in the wins over England and Wales, but with more game time under his belt, Watson is now back and will make his first appearance of the campaign.
That is the sole change to the starting XV made by Gregor Townsend, with Stuart Hogg fit to take his place at full-back after going off early against Wales.
Jamie Ritchie will once again captain the side, slotting into the back row alongside Watson and the in-form Matt Fagerson.
And Finn Russell will look to carry on his fine start to the Championship in Paris, where he plies his club trade for Racing 92.
There is a reshuffle on the bench where Townsend has gone for a 6-2 split between forwards and backs, with Sam Skinner coming into the matchday 23 to add some extra cover up front, with Chris Harris dropping out.
The last change among the replacements sees Ali Price named for the first time this Championship in place of George Horne.
Scotland team to face France: 15. Stuart Hogg, 14. Kyle Steyn, 13. Huw Jones, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 11. Duhan van der Merwe, 10. Finn Russell, 9. Ben White, 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. George Turner, 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Richie Gray, 5. Grant Gilchrist, 6. Jamie Ritchie (c), 7. Hamish Watson, 8. Matt Fagerson
Replacements: 16. Fraser Brown, 17. Jamie Bhatti, 18. WP Nel, 19. Jonny Gray, 20. Sam Skinner, 21. Jack Dempsey, 22. Ali Price, 23. Blair Kinghorn
