France did not quite hit the heights of their Dublin demolition last weekend, but Les Bleus did enough on a nervy night in Paris to clinch a second Six Nations title in four years – and kill off England’s faint hopes of a trophy-lift in Cardiff.
After Steve Borthwick’s side had done all they could against Wales to surge to the top of the championship table, France knew that a win of any kind against Scotland would send them back into first place and guarantee the title. In the end, the victory was secured in bonus-point, record-breaking style – tying England’s seven Six Nations championship wins, too – but it was nowhere near as emphatic nor attractive as it might have been.