France Rugby Pursues Grand Slam After Dominant Win Over Wales

France’s rugby team continued its impressive form in the 2026 Six Nations tournament with a resounding 54-12 victory over Wales in Cardiff on Sunday, February 15th. This followed a 36-14 win against Ireland on February 5th, positioning them favorably in their quest for a record-equaling fifth Grand Slam.

Grand Slam Ambitions

“The Grand Slam is what we’ve been preparing for since the start of the tournament,” stated France captain Antoine Dupont. “And that means winning all the matches. The competition won’t be over until the last day,” he added, emphasizing the need to focus on each game individually. RFI reports that France currently holds a four-point lead over Scotland in the competition.

Youthful Spark in Cardiff

Head coach Fabien Galthié made changes to the starting lineup for the Wales match, with Émilien Gailleton and debutant Fabien Brau-Boirie filling the center positions due to injuries to Nicolas Depoortere and Yoram Moefana. Rugbyworld.com highlights that Brau-Boirie, aged 20, justified Galthié’s selection with a try in the 15th minute, too making 17 tackles and gaining 90 meters with the ball. Noah Néné and Thibaud Flament also returned to the squad. Six Nations Rugby notes that Galthié is giving opportunities to U20 stars.

Dominant Performance and Welsh Concerns

The French team maintained its high standards throughout the match, with winger Théo Attissogbe scoring two tries. Attissogbe commented after the match, “We knew we had to play a serious match and maintain the standards we set ourselves last week. We took the game by the scruff of the neck and tried to maintain that level throughout the match, and it paid off for us.”

The victory marks France’s eighth overall win in the Six Nations. Though, the match was played in front of a smaller-than-usual crowd at the Principality Stadium, with only 57,744 attendees, the lowest Six Nations crowd in Cardiff since 1999. Welsh rugby officials are facing concerns over both the team’s performance – having won only two of their last 25 Tests – and dwindling public interest.

Looking Ahead

Fabien Galthié has outlined the team’s plan to return to their training center to prepare for their next encounter against Italy on Sunday. RFI reports Galthié stating this is their “long-term plan” to achieve the Grand Slam.