Star Metro - France fired up by chance to retain Six Nations

The reigning champions' hopes of a Grand Slam went up in smoke last week as they were blitzed by a dazzling Scotland performance which ensured that three teams come into the final weekend in contention to win the title.

Scotland head to Ireland with both knowing that victory could be enough to win the championship.

But France remain in pole position as a bonus-point victory over England would almost certainly be enough to retain their title.

And Fabien Galthie's team have their eyes on the prize.

"We have given ourselves the right to play for victory at the Stade de France," said Galthie.

"What fires us up is that we're playing for the title."

England began the tournament with a 12th straight victory as they hammered Wales 48-7 but their form has since unravelled with three successive defeats -- including a first ever reverse against Italy.

Galthie insisted, though, that Steve Borthwick's team are still to be feared.

"The English are going through a difficult period -- their results haven't met their expectations.

"They are ambitious. They are still formidable. They have very good players... with coaches who work very well.

"Their results show how hard this competition is."

England head to Paris as clear underdogs but captain Maro Itoje is not reading anything into that.

"The last time we played France, they were heavy favourites," Itoje said about England's 26-25 victory in last season's tournament thanks to a last-gasp converted Elliot Daly try.

"I'm sure we were the favourites last week, and I think a lot of people have lost a lot of money at (horse racing festival) Cheltenham betting on favourites.

"Being the favourite is neither here nor there."

- 'Out of our hands' -

In Dublin, the Triple Crown -- contested between the four Home Nations -- will be up for grabs as well as potentially the title.

Whoever wins that match would go top of the table for a few hours at least before the finale in Paris.

But if that is to be Scotland, they will have to end their 11-match losing run against Ireland.

Having run in a combined 11 tries and 81 points against England and France, they certainly look capable of that.

"They're a fantastic squad and fantastic team and given any type of room to be able to play the game that they want to play, they'll beat anyone in the world on their day, as they've proved," said Ireland's head coach Andy Farrell, who insisted that a "wounded" England could upset France.

"But at the same time, the French are hurting as well and they're in the driving seat as far as a home game and they know they can win a Championship."

For Scotland, it is an opportunity to win their first championship since the final year of the Five Nations in 1999, before Italy joined the following year.

"It's out of our hands, really," acknowledged head coach Gregor Townsend, who had been under pressure after their opening day defeat to Italy.

"We can only do a certain amount," he added.

"It's the last game of the tournament, so we'll leave everything out there."

Having made history last weekend against England, Italy have another marker in their sights away to Wales.

They could win three matches in a single tournament for the first time, and could even manage a highest ever finish of third -- although they would need a bonus-point victory and for Ireland to lose with no bonus, plus a significant swing in points difference to achieve that.

And it will not be easy against a Wales team that has shown significant improvement in their last two matches against Scotland and Ireland after being thumped by England and France.

P.M.Martin--SMC