Scotland v France 2022: What time and TV channel is rugby union Six Nations clash on?

Scotland take on France in the third round of the Guinness Six Nations at BT Murrayfield this weekend and head coach Gregor Townsend has described it as the hosts’ “last chance” to mount a challenge for the title.

Scotland applaud France's players off the pitch in Paris after beating them 27-23 in the final match of the 2021 Six Nations. (Photo by MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)

The Scots opened their campaign with a win over England in Edinburgh but lost their second match to Wales in Cardiff and sit fourth in the table on five points. France are top on nine points after victories over Italy and Ireland, the only side to win two from two.

Who: Scotland v France

What: Guinness Six Nations

Where: BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh

When: 2.15pm, Saturday, February 26

Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)

Last time v France

Scotland's wing Duhan van der Merwe was the match-winning hero in the Stade de France last season. (Photo by MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)

The teams produced a thriller in Paris in the final game of last season’s Six Nations, with Townsend’s side winning 27-23 thanks to a try in injury time from Duhan van der Merwe. It was Scotland’s first win at the Stade de France since 1999, the last time they won the championship. Ten of the team from last year will start on Saturday.

Will there be radio coverage?

The match will be broadcast live on BBC Radio Scotland and the digital station BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.

How to watch the match on TV

The Six Nations Championship continues to be broadcast on free-to-air television following an announcement last year that a deal had been struck with BBC and ITV until 2025.

BBC TV will broadcast live coverage of every Scotland and Wales home match plus a highlights show every Sunday, while ITV will show England, France, Ireland and Italy’s home games.

BBC One’s coverage of Scotland v France will begin at 1.15pm on Saturday and will be presented by Gabby Logan. The match kicks off at 2.15pm.

Formbook

France are the one remaining unbeaten side left in this season’s championship but they are also the only team to play both their matches at home. The French have found Murrayfield a tricky place to come in recent seasons in the Six Nations, losing in 2016, 2018 and 2020. However, they did win on their last visit to Edinburgh, defeating Scotland 22-15 in the Autumn Nations Cup in November 2020 at an empty Murrayfield.

The feeling within the home camp is that Scotland haven’t fired on all cylinders in either of their Six Nations games this season and their is lot more to come from this group.

Team news

Scotland have made three personnel changes following the 20-17 defeat in Cardiff, all in the pack. Zander Fagerson has been preferred to WP Nel as starting tighthead prop, with the latter named among the replacements. Rory Darge has been picked to start for Scotland for the first time and will slot in at blindside flanker, with Sam Skinner moving into the second row in place of the injured Jonny Gray. The final change sees Magnus Bradbury start at No 8 after Matt Fagerson failed to recover from a foot knock.

Scotland have named Mark Bennett, Jamie Hodgson and Nick Haining among the replacements for the first time in this season’s Six Nations.

There is one new face in the French side, with Jonathan Danty coming in at inside centre and Yoram Moefana moving out to the left wing to replace Gabin Villiere, who has been ruled out with a fractured sinus.

Match odds

France are odds-on to win in Edinburgh and available at 1/3 with PaddyPower, 4/11 with Skybet and bet365, and 2/5 with William Hill and Ladbrokes.

Scotland are generally available at 9/4 and the draw is 25/1.

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