France's rugby union head coach Fabien Galthé has warned his players to keep their focus during the Six Nations title decider against Scotland this Saturday at the Stade de France.
France set the pace in the 2025 tournament following a resounding 42-27 victory over Ireland in Dublin last Saturday.
A win over the Scots will seem them clinch their first title since 2022.
But on the eve of the clash, Galthié said his players will have to suppress their more flamboyant impulses and deliver a cold-blooded display in order to ensure victory.
"We have to be vigilant," said the former France international scrum-half. "Because we're Latins and it's really in our genetics to sometimes be unable to reproduce performances."
'British nations prepare very differently'
France started the 2025 tournament with a 43-0 mauling of Wales. They dominated England in the second game of the competition, but sloppy handling cost them several tries and England eventually pulled off a last-gasp victory at Twickenham.
France responded a fortnight later with a 73-24 annihilation of Italy, followed by a dazzling destruction of defending champions Ireland last Saturday at Dublin's Aviva Stadium.
France wallop Ireland to gain advantage in hunt for 2025 Six Nations crown
"At international level, we know that we are up against British nations who prepare very differently," said Galthié. "They are capable of performing well and then under-performing, but always playing with the same level of intensity."
Galthié has drafted in Maxime Lucu for skipper Antoine Dupont, who was injured towards the end of the first half in the game against Ireland. Veteran Gael Fickou will play in the centre instead of Pierre-Louis Barassi, who was taken off following a collision in the second half with Calvin Nash last Saturday.
'The toughest fixture in rugby'
France have scored 26 tries in their first four games. If they manage four more on Saturday night, they will break England’s Six Nations record of 29, set in 2001.
France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey touched down twice during the rout against Ireland to take his campaign tally to seven, equalling Jacob Stockdale's exploits for Ireland during the 2018 Six Nations championships.
Another try on Saturday night would enable 21-year-old Bielle-Biarrey to enter the record books as the most prolific player during a single campaign.
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"It's the last game of the Six Nations and we're playing a very physical side away from home," said Scotland coach Gregor Townsend. "When you see the French club teams dominating in European competitions, scoring 70 or 80 points against quality English sides on a couple of occasions, it shows you what can happen if you allow them to get on the front foot."
He added: "France scored 70 points against a very good Italian team, 40 points against Wales, 40 points against Ireland. They could have scored 40 or 50 against England with the amount of chances they had, so now playing against France is probably the toughest fixture in world rugby."
Should France fail to see off Scotland, Ireland and England could take the title with wins over Italy and Wales respectively.
