France produced a masterful display on Sunday at the Principality Stadium. In round 2 of the 2026 Six Nations, France dominated Wales from head to toe, winning by the emphatic score of 12-54. A bonus-point success that confirms the current superiority of Fabien Galthié’s men.

Pau’s young guns at the peak of their art

The French management had gambled on boldness by backing the “Pau pipeline”, and the result exceeded expectations. The brand-new centre pairing of Fabien Brau-Boirie and Émilien Gailleton showed remarkable attacking fluidity. Brau-Boirie, on his first cap, broke the deadlock as early as the 15th minute from a Matthieu Jalibert pass.

On the wing, Théo Attissogbe was the chief architect of the festival with an opportunistic double (49th, 58th). The closing stages also allowed a first look at Noah Tisie Nene, on for his first cap in place of Gailleton (68th), confirming the constant regeneration of the French talent pool.

The senior men mark their 50th caps in style

Beyond the exuberance of the newcomers, this match will be remembered as the one with the successful jubilees of two pillars of the dressing room. Hooker Julien Marchand and back-rower Charles Ollivon were winning their 50th caps in the France jersey.

The script served the two senior men perfectly, each treating himself to a try to mark the occasion. Marchand finished off the pack’s sapping work after a maul (44th), while Ollivon let his power do the talking on the hour (61st), rewarding total physical dominance. The only dark spot of the afternoon was the permanent withdrawal of Emmanuel Meafou after a failed head injury assessment, which could weigh on the rest of the competition.

Conclusion: France, sole masters of their destiny

Despite a final Welsh surge rewarded by a corner try from Mason Grady (78th), France never wobbled. This success, achieved in style and with the attacking bonus point, puts France in a regal position.

Following England’s defeat in Scotland yesterday, France are officially the only nation still in the running for the Grand Slam. With two bonus-point wins from two matches, Antoine Dupont and his team-mates now hold all the cards. The fixture list is in their favour, but it is above all the depth of this squad, able to shine despite rotation, that makes France the only contender for a perfect coronation in this 2026 Championship.