France wins Six Nations after beating Scotland with record flourish

PARIS (AP) — France saw off a resilient Scotland 35-16 and clinched the Six Nations title with a tournament-try record on Saturday.

Coach Fabien Galthié's side needed only a victory at chilly Stade de France to ensure a first title since 2022. The bonus-point win helped Les Tricolores finish one point above England, which hammered Wales 68-14 with 10 tries.

“We have shed this weight," said a relieved Galthié, who was also coach three years ago. “We share our joy and the pleasure with the French people.”

France scored four tries to set a tournament record with 30, one more than England in 2001.

The final score was far more comfortable than the first half.

French indiscipline led to two sin-bins — one of which could have been a red for a lunging headbutt — and almost cost a try on the buzzer.

Scotland started the second half only 16-13 down and with an extra player for a few minutes, but managed just one penalty from flyhalf Finn Russell in the entire period.

The match turned following careless play from Russell, who tried a no-look pass from the back of his hand, resulting in a counterattack try in the 43rd minute.

Galloping flyhalf Romain Ntamack sent Louis Bielle-Biarrey into the left corner for his eighth try of the tournament. He equalled the record of England’s Cyril Lowe in 1914 and Scotland’s Ian Smith in 1925 when the tournament was the Five Nations.

“I’m very happy,” Bielle-Biarrey said. “But I’m more happy that we won the match.”

France took control and fullback Thomas Ramos converted his own try near the hour mark. Ramos scored 20 points to move onto 450 overall and overtake Frédéric Michalak (436) as his country's all-time leading scorer.

With the pressure off, Gaël Fickou set up midfield partner Yoram Moefana for his second try to make it 35-16 and start the celebrations.

Injured captain Antoine Dupont joined his teammates on the field, walking on crutches after rupturing cruciate ligaments in his right knee last weekend against Ireland.

“He was hurting physically and also mentally this week,” scrumhalf Maxime Lucu said. “We won it for him.”

Standing in as captain, No. 8 Grégory Alldritt also dedicated the win to Dupont.

“All we wanted to see tonight was Antoine lifting the trophy and that’s done,” he said.

It was a gritty start against the determined Scots.

Flanker Jamie Ritchie was sin-binned in the 12th minute for collapsing a maul and France punished the error.

On his 50th Six Nations appearance, Fickou broke through and passed inside to his midfield partner Moefana for a converted try.

Then, a reckless moment from hooker Peato Mauvaka saw him sin-binned midway through the first half for lunging with his head at scrumhalf Ben White when they were on the ground. Ramos had actually pushed White onto him.

The decision went to a bunker review as Russell’s penalty got Scotland on the board. Ramos replied from in front of the posts and there was relief in the crowd when Mauvaka’s blatant foul was not upgraded to a red card.

But the Scots still punished the French sin-bin, with Russell neatly setting up right winger Darcy Graham and then converting.

With French nerves fraying, prop Jean-Baptiste Gros was sin-binned late in the first half and Russell drew the sides level, before Ramos slotted over again in tit-for-tat play.

“It was hard to win the competition against a team playing so freely," Galthié said. "They played without pressure and were enjoying themselves."

Scotland's running game troubled France.

Fullback Blair Kinghorn galloped from inside his half and deep into France’s camp, leading to a try from center Tom Jordan in the right corner with seconds remaining in the half.

But it was ruled out following a video review because Kinghorn touched out of bounds.

Defending champion Ireland and England both won earlier to put some pressure on record-chasing France, which became the tournament favorite again after beating Ireland 42-27 despite playing 50 minutes without Dupont.

Ireland stayed in contention by securing a scrappy bonus-point 22-17 win over Italy in Rome and England did their best to prolong the suspense.

Both ultimately fell short against a France side with erratic composure but ruthless finishing.

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The French team players Antoine Dupont, center, and Gregory Alldritt, right, celebrate with the trophy after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

The French team players including Antoine Dupont, center, celebrate with the trophy after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France's Thomas Ramos and François Cros celebrate after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France's Antoine Dupont stands on the pitch on crutches as he celebrates with teammates after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

The French team celebrate with the trophy after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France's Thomas Ramos touches down to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France's Romain Ntamack races ahead of Scotland's Darcy Graham during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Scotland players react after a try by Scotland's Tom Jordan was disallowed during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe is tackled during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France's Yoram Moefana scores the opening try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey races in to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

BUDONG-BUDONG, Indonesia (AP) — Nearly seven months after a crocodile attack almost took her life, Munirpa walked to the estuary outside her home with her husband and her children, ready to brave a reenactment.

Munirpa, who like many Indonesians only uses one name, recounted how one early morning in August, she threw her household garbage into a creek about 50 meters (164 feet) away from her house, as she normally would.

She didn't see what was coming next.

By the time she realized a crocodile had attacked her, the four-meter-long (13-foot) beast had already sunk its teeth into most of her body, sparing only her head. She fought hard, trying to jab its eyes. Her husband, hearing her screams, ran over and tried to pull her by the thigh out of the crocodile's jaws. A tug-of-war ensued; the reptile whipped him with its tail. Fortunately, he saved Munirpa in time, eventually dragging her out of the crocodile's grip.

People have long feared the ancient predators in the Central Mamuju district of Indonesia’s West Sulawesi, where the Budong-Budong River meets the sea. For Munirpa, 48, that fear turned into a brutal reality when she became one of nearly 180 recorded crocodile attack victims in Indonesia last year. Residents like her are learning to coexist with the crocodiles, a legally protected species in Indonesia, as they balance conservation with looking out for their safety. But as attacks rise, several residents and experts have called for better government interventions to stop the problem from getting even worse.

Following the attack, Munirpa was hospitalized for a month and has had two surgeries. By February this year, her fear was still clearly visible, as were the scars on her legs and thighs.

“I am so scared. I don’t want to go to the beach. Even to the back of the house, I don’t dare to go," said Munirpa. “I am traumatized. I asked my children not to go to the river, or to the backyard, or go fishing."

In the villages surrounding the Budong-Budong River, like Munirpa's, crocodiles have become a daily topic of conversation. Their presence has become so common that warning signs now mark the areas where they lurk, from the river mouth to the waterways which were once a popular swimming spot for children.

In 2024, there were 179 crocodile attacks in Indonesia, the highest number of crocodile attacks in the world, with 92 fatalities, according to CrocAttack, an independent database. Social media videos showing crocodile appearances and attacks in Sulawesi and other regions in Indonesia are also on the rise.

The increase in attacks began about 12 years ago with the rise of palm oil plantations around the river mouth, said 39-year-old crocodile handler Rusli Paraili. Some companies carved artificial waterways, linking them to the larger part of the Budong-Budong River. That was when the crocodiles started straying, leaving the river and creeping to nearby residential areas, such as fish and shrimp ponds, he explained.

Palm oil plantations now dominate the landscape in West Sulawesi, from the mountains to the coast, and patrolling for crocodiles has become part of people's daily routine. When residents check the water pumps in their ponds, they have no choice but to keep out an eye for the beasts — flashlights in hand, scouring up, down and across canals and waterways — resigned to the uneasy reality of sharing their home with a predator.

The saltwater crocodile has been a legally protected species in Indonesia since 1999, making it an animal that cannot be hunted freely. As a top predator, there is also no population control in nature.

Paraili, the crocodile handler, said that while the law protects crocodiles from being killed, the rise in attacks is a major concern. In response, he's taken care of some of the crocs in a specially-designed farm away from human populations. He's received some financial support from the government and community donations, as well as support from palm oil companies for the last five years.

The farm has four ponds and around 50 reptiles. Some have names: Tanker, the largest, shaped like a ship, or Karossa, named after the sub-district the animal was caught after fatally attacking someone.

When funds run low, he uses his own money to ensure they’re fed, at least once every four days.

Amir Hamidy, who studies reptiles at the National Research and Innovation Agency, worries the rise in attacks indicates that crocodile numbers are becoming far too dangerous. Hamidy supports better population control.

Being a protected species “does not necessarily mean that the population cannot be reduced when it is at a level that is indeed unsafe," he said.

Around a year ago in Tumbu village, Suardi, who goes by one name, was harvesting coconuts when they fell into the river. When he went to retrieve them, he was attacked by a crocodile he initially didn't notice. He's since made a full recovery.

Still, the experience has made him more cautious. “Yes, I am worried. But what else can we do," Suardi said. “The important thing is that we are careful enough.”

Along with Munirpa, Suardi is one of 10 people in the region who was attacked by a crocodile last year. Three of those attacked were killed.

Suyuti Marzuki, who's head of West Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Agency, said the crocodile habitat shift is making people's everyday activities — like harvesting coconuts, fishing or even disposing of garbage like Munirpa — very risky.

Marzuki said the government is looking at possible options that can provide both safety and economic alternatives for residents.

While he acknowledged that crocodile population numbers and ecosystems need to be protected, Marzuki also raised the possibility of bolstering the local economy through the crocodile skin trade. That industry is controversial because of conservation and animal welfare issues.

Paraili, the crocodile handler, also urged serious government interventions.

"This is a matter of human lives. So when the government is not serious, then our brothers and sisters in the future — in 5 or 15 years — there will be even more who will die from being attacked by crocodiles,” he said.

Residents like Munirpa and Suardi are waiting for more immediate and realistic steps from the authorities to ensure their community's and families' safety.

“It is enough that I've been bitten by a crocodile," Munirpa said. “I won’t let it happen to my children.”

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A fisher walks in the water after setting up a fishing net near a beach in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A man walks in the water as he pulls his boat to the riverbank in Budong-Budong, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A crocodile nicknamed Karossa, after the name of a village it was captured from following the fatal attack of a man, rests with others inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Suardi, a crocodile attack survivor, shows a scar on his chest in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Suardi, a crocodile attack survivor, shows the scars on his face in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Rusli Paraili, a crocodile handler, sits on the bow of a boat while looking for crocodiles on a river in Budong-Budong, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Sudirman, left, and Irfan stand among the coconut trees as they inspect their fish and shrimp ponds in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Sudirman, front, and Irfan walk on a makeshift bridge as they inspect their fish and shrimp ponds in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A man sits on his motorbike as a newly opened palm oil plantation with its canals are visible in the background in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

People play cards in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A canal dug for a newly opened palm oil plantation is visible in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A cow jumps over the water near a stream where a crocodile attack occurred several months prior, in Topoyo, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Crocodiles, mostly rescued after encounters with people, swim inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Crocodile hatchlings are seen in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Rusli Paraili, left, a crocodile handler, feeds a rescued crocodile inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Rusli Paraili, a crocodile handler, feeds rescued crocodiles kept inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A crocodile warning sign is displayed by the river in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. The sign reads "Beware of crocodile! Please be on alert while doing activities in the river. Crocodile might be stalking". (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Munirpa, a crocodile attack survivor, stands for a portrait at the location where she was nearly killed by a four-meter-long crocodile, in Topoyo, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Rusli Paraili, a crocodile handler, feeds a rescued crocodile kept inside an enclosure in Budong-Budong, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)