France Dominates Wales 54-12
France delivered their biggest ever victory over Wales at Cardiff with a dominant 54-12 win in the Six Nations Championship. The result keeps France unbeaten and leading the Grand Slam race after Round 2 matches on February 17-18. Scotland upset England 31-20 at Murrayfield while Ireland narrowly defeated Italy 20-13 in Rome.
- The 54 points scored by France are the most they have ever managed against Wales, surpassing a 51-0 victory in 1998. This was also France's biggest-ever win in Cardiff. - The loss marked Wales's 13th consecutive defeat in the Six Nations, and they have now won only two of their last 25 Test matches. - French fly-half Matthieu Jalibert was widely praised for a "masterful" performance, controlling the game with his kicking and playmaking while also scoring a try himself. - The match was played in front of 57,744 fans at the Principality Stadium, the lowest attendance for a Six Nations game at the venue outside of the Covid-affected years, reflecting a decline in fan confidence. - France's attack was dominant throughout, running in eight tries, with winger Théo Attissogbe scoring two and center Fabien Brau-Boirie crossing for a try on his international debut. - Wales's defensive struggles were a key factor in the lopsided scoreline; they missed 31 tackles and finished the match with only a 68% tackle success rate. - Before this match, France opened their Six Nations campaign with another bonus-point victory, defeating Ireland 36-14 in Paris. - The victory continues a recent trend of French dominance in the rivalry; they have now won the last five Six Nations encounters against Wales.
