Records could tumble as try-hungry France chases Six Nations title against Scotland

PARIS (AP) — France enters the Six Nations finale against Scotland with the title at stake and a host of records up for grabs at Stade de France on Saturday.

Prolific wingers Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud eye record-breaking tries, and kicker Thomas Ramos will aim to convert as many as possible for a France side which has its mojo back after a painful defeat to England.

But beating England's points difference record from 2001 is a long shot, even more so without injured scrumhalf Antoine Dupont.

Here's a look at the records that could be broken:

Bielle-Biarrey’s scorching pace down the left wing has helped him to seven tries in four matches. The 21-year-old needs two more against Scotland to become the record-holder in the tournament's 142-year history.

The record is eight by England’s Cyril Lowe in 1914 and Scotland’s Ian Smith in 1925 when the tournament was the Five Nations.

Bielle-Biarrey burst onto the scene at the 2023 Rugby World Cup where, instead of studying for university mid-term exams, he became France’s youngest World Cup player at 20 years, 87 days. He has scored in a French record seven consecutive tests, and has 17 international tries from 18 tests.

Right winger Damian Penaud — who also plays with Bielle-Biarrey at Bordeaux Bègles — needs one try to overtake Serge Blanco and stand alone as France's all-time top men's try-scorer. They are on 38.

Penaud probably would have got there by now but he missed the 43-point rout of Wales because of a toe injury, and the 73-point rout in Italy after being dropped following his below-par match in the defeat to England.

Penaud has 38 in 55 games compared to 93 games for Blanco, who was also a decent kicker. Blanco slotted 22 penalties, six conversions and two drop goals as one of the game's greatest fullbacks.

Vincent Clerc, who has become a matchday pundit, was third on France's list with 34 tries followed by fellow winger Philippe Saint-André (32) and standout center Philippe Sella (30).

Ramos is also a skilful fullback and a strong runner but he's better known for the dead-eye accuracy of his kicking. He leads the tournament with 51 points.

Two penalties and a conversion against Scotland will be enough to make him France's all-time leading point-scorer because he needs only seven points.

Ramos is six behind silky flyhalf Frédéric Michalak's total of 436 points. Versatile back Christophe Lamaison (380) is third overall and scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili (373) is fourth in the French scoring charts.

Given that Ramos is aged 29, he potentially has many years left to move well clear of everyone.

France has crossed for 26 tries in four matches — its most in a single tournament — and needs four against the Scots to break England's record from 2001.

Coach Fabien Galthié's side began the tournament by swarming all over hapless Wales 43-0 with seven tries at Stade de France.

France lost away to England 26-25 at the death in a match riddled with clumsy handling errors that cost at least three tries. The French bounced back in style with 11 tries in a record-high 73-24 thrashing of Italy at Stadio Olimpico.

France was ruthless against Ireland in Dublin last Saturday, too, running in five tries in a 42-27 win despite playing for 50 minutes without its superstar Dupont.

Led by flyhalf great Jonny Wilkinson, England won the 2001 title with a whopping points difference of +149, and that includes losing the last game to Ireland.

France has a positive difference of 106, meaning it needs to hammer the Scots by a 44-point margin on Saturday.

A record-breaking victory would be the perfect way for France to clinch its first title since 2022.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Ireland's Hugo Keenan, top left, jumps for the ball with France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey during the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and France, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

France's Damian Penaud, left, with his teammates Thomas Ramos, waves to supporters following the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and France, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

France's Damian Penaud runs to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and France, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey, centre, celebrates with his teammate Maxime Lucu, after scoring a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and France, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey, top, celebrates after his teammate Damian Penaud scored a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and France, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Russian forces have driven the Ukrainian army out of the biggest town in Russia's Kursk border region, officials claimed Thursday, as U.S. officials sought the Kremlin's response to a proposed 30-day ceasefire in the three-year war that Ukraine has endorsed.

The Russian Defense Ministry’s claim that it recaptured the town of Sudzha, hours after President Vladimir Putin visited his commanders in Kursk and wore military fatigues, could not be independently verified. Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment on the claim.

The renewed Russian military push and Putin's high-profile visit to his troops came as U.S. President Donald Trump presses for a diplomatic end to the war. The U.S. on Tuesday lifted its March 3 suspension of military aid for Kyiv after senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials made progress on how to stop the fighting during talks held in Saudi Arabia.

Trump said Wednesday that “it’s up to Russia now” as his administration presses Moscow to agree to the ceasefire. The U.S. president has made veiled threats to hit Russia with new sanctions if it won’t engage with peace efforts.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that U.S. negotiators were on their way to Russia, but he wouldn’t comment on Moscow’s view of the ceasefire proposal.

“Before the talks start, and they haven’t started yet, it would be wrong to talk about it in public,” he told reporters.

Senior U.S. officials say they hope to see Russia stop attacks on Ukraine within the next few days.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that national security adviser Mike Waltz spoke Wednesday with his Russian counterpart. She also confirmed that Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will head to Moscow for talks with Russian officials, possibly including Putin.

By signaling its openness to a ceasefire, Ukraine has presented the Kremlin with a dilemma at a time when the Russian military has the upper hand in the war — whether to accept a truce and abandon hopes of making new gains, or reject the offer and risk derailing a cautious rapprochement with Washington.

The Ukrainian army’s foothold inside Russia has been under intense pressure for months from a renewed effort by Russian forces, backed by North Korean troops. Ukraine's daring incursion last August led to the first occupation of Russian soil by foreign troops since World War II and embarrassed the Kremlin.

Speaking to commanders Wednesday, Putin said he expected the military “to completely free the Kursk region from the enemy in the nearest future.”

Putin added that in the future “it’s necessary to think about creating a security zone alongside the state border,” in a signal that Moscow could try to expand its territorial gains by capturing parts of Ukraine’s neighboring Sumy region. That idea could complicate a ceasefire deal.

Ukraine launched the raid in a bid to counter the unceasingly glum news from the front line, as well as draw Russian troops away from the battlefield inside Ukraine and gain a bargaining chip in any peace talks. But the incursion didn’t significantly change the dynamic of the war.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, assessed late Wednesday that Russian forces were in control of Sudzha.

Ukraine’s top military head, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said late Wednesday that Russian aviation had carried out an unprecedented number of strikes on Kursk and that as a result Sudzha had been almost completely destroyed. He did not comment on whether Ukraine still controlled the settlement but said it was “maneuvering (troops) to more advantageous lines.”

Meanwhile, Major General Dmytro Krasylnykov, commander of Ukraine’s Northern Operational Command, which includes the Kursk region, was dismissed from his post, he told Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne on Wednesday. He told the outlet he was not given a reason for his dismissal, saying “I’m guessing, but I don’t want to talk about it yet.”

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

In this image made from video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, accompanied by Russian Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, second left, visits military headquarters in the Kursk region of Russia. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)

In this image made from video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, accompanied by Russian Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, second left, visits military headquarters in the Kursk region of Russia. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)

In this image made from video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a visit to military headquarters in the Kursk region of Russia. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)

In this image made from video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a visit to military headquarters in the Kursk region of Russia. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)

In this image made from video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin accompanied by Russian Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, behind Putin, visits military headquarters in the Kursk region of Russia. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)

FILE - A Ukrainian soldier walks past at a city hall in Sudzha, Kursk region, Russia, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. This image was approved by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry before publication. (AP Photo, File)

In this image made from video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, shakes hands with Russian Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov as he visits military headquarters in the Kursk region of Russia. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)