2025-01-30

France vs Wales: Six Nations Betting Tips

The Six Nations begins on Friday in spectacular style as the Stade de France returns to the schedule after a year away due to the Paris Olympics.

France host Wales under the Saint-Denis lights and after struggling on opening night in 2024, they look unlikely to succumb to a similar upset.

An out-of-sorts Les Bleus lost 38-17 to Ireland in Marseille last year, setting the tone for a poor campaign in which they finished second but had little to brag about.

Fabien Galthie's team seemed to be suffering from a post-World Cup hangover but emerged from their slump in the autumn, including beating Japan, New Zealand and Argentina, and even injuries are unlikely to hinder them against a woeful Wales side.

France vs Wales Betting Tips

Tip 1 – France to win by 41-50 points @ 27/5
Tip 2 – Louis Bielle-Biarrey to score two or more tries @ 9/4

Team news

With Thibaud Flament and Damian Penaud absent, number eight Alexandre Roumat slots in the second row and Theo Attissogbe starts on the right wing.

Jean-Baptiste Gros also starts ahead of Cyril Baille at prop, with Baille part of a six-two split on the bench.

For Wales, Ben Thomas makes his first Six Nations start at fly-half after featuring in the centres during the autumn.

The experienced duo Josh Adams and Liam Williams return, but there is no place for Taulupe Faletau.

Tip 1 – France to win by 41-50 points @ 27/5

Warren Gatland has opted to roll the dice with his youngsters in a bid to end his team's 12-game losing run and while there is talent within the side, there is also a lot of inexperience that could be exposed in Paris.

Dafydd Jenkins and Jac Morgan will have to carry the pack, while Nick Tompkins and Owen Watkin must be watertight in the centres.

Injuries mean Galthie may have been forced to experiment but the playmaking axis of Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack and Thomas Ramos is the best in the world. The Toulouse trio should get plenty of ball with their pack expected to bulldoze their Welsh counterparts, and a six-two split on the bench means they will keep coming.

France should easily surpass their -25.5 handicap, so it might be better to look towards the winning-margin markets and a victory by 41 to 50 points could be the outcome.

Tip 2 – Louis Bielle-Biarrey to score two or more tries @ 9/4

Penaud's absence puts the focus on his Bordeaux colleague Louis Bielle-Biarrey. The 21-year-old has played much of the season at full-back but starts on the left wing and has been passed fit after overcoming an ear issue that has caused him dizziness.

Bielle-Biarrey is 7/2 to be the tournament's top try scorer and can start in style against Wales by grabbing a brace or more.

The UBB flyer has 10 scores in 14 international caps. Wales look primed to be his first victims in this year's Six Nations.