France demolished Wales 54-12 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 15 February 2026, a ruthless Round 2 performance that underlined Les Bleus’ credentials as the team to beat in this year’s Six Nations.

The Principality Stadium, with its roof closed and the Cardiff crowd desperate for a performance, was supposed to be a fortress. Instead it became the stage for one of France’s most dominant away displays in championship history. Antoine Dupont, widely regarded as the best scrum-half in world rugby, was imperious from the first whistle. His speed of service, decision-making at the breakdown, and ability to snipe around the fringes were simply too much for Wales to handle. Dupont scored two tries himself and created another, while Romain Ntamack pulled the strings at fly-half with metronomic goal-kicking, converting seven of eight attempts and adding a penalty.

Damian Penaud was devastating on the right wing, finishing two tries with the clinical precision that has made him one of Europe’s most prolific try-scorers. France’s pack laid the platform throughout, with Gregory Alldritt carrying with relentless force from number eight and the front row of Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, and Uini Atonio dominating the scrum. Wales had no answer. Louis Rees-Zammit, returning to the international fold, showed flashes of his trademark speed but received scant quality ball. Josh Adams scored a consolation try in the second half, and a late penalty try gave the scoreboard a marginally more respectable look, but the 42-point margin told the real story. Wales’ struggles continued in grim fashion, their attacking structure looking disjointed and their defence unable to cope with the pace and power France brought through every channel.

For Welsh supporters, the result compounded what has been a deeply difficult period. Two rounds into the championship, Wales sit at the bottom of the table with mounting concerns about the depth and quality available to the coaching staff. France, by contrast, look ominous. Their blend of flair, physicality, and squad depth makes them formidable opponents for anyone remaining on their schedule.

Kick-off at the Principality Stadium was 15:10 GMT in Cardiff, which was 16:10 CET in Paris, 10:10 EST on the American east coast, and 07:10 PST on the west coast. The French travelling support, who had filled the Cardiff pubs since the previous evening, celebrated long after the final whistle as their side marched on with title ambitions very much intact.