Gerry Thornley: France very firmly pin their colours to the mast

Les Bleus rekindle their love story with the public and look like Six Nations contenders

Six Nations 2020: the future starts now for youthful France

Fabien Galthié has named 19 new caps as Les Bleus look to end their 10-year title drought

14-man Saracens reach last-eight after edging Racing 92

Defending champions now face Leinster after defying Skelton red card to win

Antoine Dupont fit to start for France against Wales

Captain Guilhem Guirado returns to side with Gael Fickou also back in midfieler

France live up to all your favourite old stereotypes in USA win

Irish native AJ MacGinty kicks three penalties before French finish with a flourish

Veteran number eight Louis Picamoles included in France’s World Cup squad

Francois Cros, Felix Lambey and Romain Taofifenua among those to miss out

Ulster take it to the wire with nail-biting win over Racing

Dan McFarland’s side move a step closer to the quarter-finals with win at Kingspan Stadium

Ulster come ready to party but Racing’s beat proves too much

Paris aristocrats secure bonus-point win after wild and loose game at La Defense Arena

Simon Zebo looking to thwart Ulster on their trip to Paris

In-form Zebo aiming to impress against Irish province for formidable Racing

Clermont triumphant despite Zebo’s first try for Racing

Stade Francais register second victory while Toulon bottom of the table after second loss

Leinster earn their place among Europe’s finest after outmuscling Racing

McGrath says being forced to grind out victory in Champions Cup made it extra special

Leo Cullen gives his compliments to Racing’s ‘expensive bunch’

Leinster head coach: ‘It is very much a clash of styles about how you assemble a squad’

Leinster didn't lose one lineout against Saracens and Scarlets

One area in which Racing will have to improve massively is in discipline

Munster must maintain high tempo to unsettle Racing

French team possess some outstanding players in Teddy Thomas and Leone Nakarwara

Joe Schmidt not daring to dream as historic opportunity beckons

Henderson the only change to starting Ireland XV as Jones opts for radical surgery

Munster chisel out victory over Racing in an old-school bruiser

Conor Murray’s opportunism breaks deadlock at Thomond Park

La Rochelle make stunning debut with victory at Harlequins

Champions Cup round-up: Exeter end Glasgow’s unbeaten run; Racing 92 edge Leicester; Bath shutout Treviso

Guy Novès warns France of complacency against Italy

Head coach says Barcelona’s defeat of Paris St Germain is ‘life lesson’ for French players

Guy Noves makes four changes for France’s clash with Italy

Fullback Scott Spedding among those dropped after third round defeat to Ireland

Gordon D’Arcy: Six Nations building towards Cardiff and beyond

The players can prepare in a good head space over the next week - the same can't be said for Wales

Liam Toland: Ireland looked like a team with a winning mindset

Allowing Murray dictate the pace and field position through his box-kicks was crucial

French media reaction: ‘Conor Murray is a Rolls Royce’

There’s a lot of praise for Ireland while the French team face a number of questions

Ireland tough it out to claim win in another French slugfest

Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton help Joe Schmidt’s side control full-on encounter

Six Nations Championship: Ireland v France, player statistics

What Joe Schmidt’s side will face at the Avivia Stadium

France ‘know everything about Ireland’ ahead of Aviva clash

Coach Yannick Bru says Johnny Sexton’s return doesn’t change Les Bleu’s plans

Joe Schmidt wary of French whipping up a storm in Dublin

Ireland coach insists weather conditions will have to be adapted to with so much at stake

France make three changes to starting XV for Aviva visit

Prop Rabah Slimani, flanker Bernard Le Roux and wing Yoann Huget come in

Ireland braced for different France – a well-rested outfit

Sexton and Kearney battling for fitness but van der Flier’s Six Nations looks to be over

Champions Cup round-up: Pro12 sides endure weekend to forget

Ospreys’ performance in defeat to Clermont the solitary note of encouragement

All Blacks send ominous warning with awesome display of power

New Zealand set up Springbok semi-final with nine-try rout of demoralised France side

Liam Toland: All hail Ireland’s work on training ground

Joe Schmidt’s players knew jobs inside-out and performed them to maximum effect

Devin Toner and Cian Healy may return for French clash

Payne, Rob Kearney also likely to start as Schmidt expected to retain tried, trusted

‘Johnny Sexton has good points but has weak points too’

Ireland outhalf’s former team-mate Bernard Le Roux aims to put Dubliner under pressure

Saint-André right to read riot act, says Nakaitaci

Cameras showed France coach berating side after poor first half display against Romania

France’s 13 changes for Romania test suggest offloading style

Wesley Fofana, Gael Fickou in centre provides France with attacking edge

Sideline cut: Rugby brutality invests Le Roux’s banter with wider meaning

Sexton warned by light-hearted club-mate to ‘wear helmet’ for Ireland-France clash

Target man Johnny Sexton eager for first contact

‘He did everything he needed to do, so it’s a credit to the player to be available at this point as well’

Noa Nakaitaci out to take chance after being named in preliminary France squad

Uncapped Clermont winger named in Philippe Saint-Andre’s 31-strong training squad

Warren Gatland drops Mike Phillips over his confrontational approach

Wales coach not happy with scrumhalf’s performance against Ireland

France call up Tales and Lapandry for trip to Cardiff

Philippe Saint-Andre makes two squad changes for game against Wales

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