Bonus-point wins over England and Wales have lifted Gregor Townsend’s side into a share of first place with Ireland in the table but the Scots face their toughest test yet when they face defending champions France on Sunday. The French will be stinging from their defeat to Ireland in round two as they look to revive their defence of the title they won so impressively last season.
Townsend’s team won in dramatic fashion at the Stade de France in 2021 but Scottish victories in Paris have been few and far between – only eight since the end of World War II and six in the last 60 years. Here are a selection of memorable moments from Scotland’s triumphs in the French capital.
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Full-back and captain Stuart Hogg celebrates wildly as Duhan van der Merwe scores the winning try in the final seconds of the 2021 match against France on Scotland's last visit to Paris. Photo: Martin Bureau
. A dramatic finale in Paris
Scotland were trailing 23-20 when wing Duhan van der Merwe scored this dramatic winning try at the Stade de France two years ago. Adam Hastings' successful conversion made the final score 27-23 to the visitors and lifted them above England and level on points with Ireland in the final Six Nations table. The match was played on a Friday night after the rest of the tournament had been completed after a Covid outbreak in the French squad caused the game to be postponed. Photo: Martin Bureau
. Duhan van der Merwe at the double
Duhan van der Merwe exchanges words with France's lock Bernard Le Roux in a heated moment during Scotland's win in Paris on March 26 2021. Van der Merwe scored Scotland's first and last tries that evening to end the championship as the Six Nations' top try-scorer, with five in total. Photo: Anne-Christine Poujoulat
. Finn Russell sees red
Scotland's cause looked bleak when Finn Russell received a red card from English referee Wayne Barnes with nine minutes to go of the 2021 match in Paris. The stand-off was penalised for catching Brice Dulin near the throat with his elbow as he attempted to fend off the France full-back. Adam Hastings came off the bench to play a crucial role at fly-half in the final minutes, with Sam Johnson the unlucky back to be sacrificed. Photo: Martin Bureau
. Cherry aids Scotland's cause in Paris
In between Duhan van der Merwe's two tries, replacement hooker Dave Cherry scored one of his own in 2021 as Scotland won in Paris for the first time in 22 years. Cherry, who was uncapped before the tournament started, also scored in the opening win over England. It was the first time Scotland had beaten both England and France away from home in the same season since 1926. Photo: Loic Baratoux - SNS Group
5. Scotland make their mark at the Stade de France
Scotland line up before the match against France in Paris in 1999. It was the first time the Scots had played at the Stade de France which had been built for the previous year's football World Cup. The visitors produced a stunning performance, particularly in the first half when they scored five tries, and eventually won 36-22. The victory, combined with England's defeat by Wales at Wembley the following day, saw Scotland crowned Five Nations champions. Photo: Gabriel Bouys
6. Alan Tait: a centre of excellence
Alan Tait on his way to scoring his first try in the 36-22 win against France in 1999. The centre scored two in Paris that afternoon to cap an outstanding Five Nations campaign in which he combined expertly with Gregor Townsend and John Leslie in a highly creative Scotland midfield. Tait had also scored a try double in the narrow defeat by England and one in the opening win over Wales. Photo: Alex Livesey
7. Gregor Townsend's annus mirabilis
Gregor Townsend dots down for Scotland's third try in the 1999 win over France in Paris. It was a highly significant for the Scotland stand-off as he became only the fifth player to score a try in all four Five Nations championship matches in the same season, and the first Scot to do so since Johnny Wallace in 1925. It was the last Five Nations, with Italy joining the following season to make six. Photo: Remy de la Mauviniere
8. Le jour de gloire est arrive
Alan Tait roars in victory after Scotland's famous 36-22 win at the Stade de France in 1999. Tait's two tries, two more from Martin Leslie and one from Gregor Townsend secured the triumph for the Scots, with all five tries coming in a blistering first half. Scotland had already beaten Wales and Ireland and lost narrowly to England. Jim Telfer's side were crowned Five Nations champions the following day when England lost to Wales. Photo: Neil Hanna/The Scotsman