**France are on the path to a first Grand Slam title for a decade. Next stop is BT Murrayfield, where they face a resurgent Scotland side after they defeated Italy in Round 3 of the Guinness Six Nations.** The question on everybody’s lips is: how can Scotland stop France? We’ve dug out three ways Gregor Townsend’s side can stop Les Bleus’ charge, using statistics provided by AWS. **Back-five battle** France have been enjoying plenty of front-foot ball during the Championship so far, allowing their youthful and talented back-line to plug away. But it’s the work rate of the pack in the loose, the back five particularly, that has made life so difficult for England, Italy and Wales already in the competition. Locks Bernard Le Roux and Paul Willemse, and back rowers François Cros, Charles Ollivon and Gregory Alldritt have all been in tremendous form. While the engine room is dealing in outstanding defensive statistics, the back row is busy causing havoc with the ball in hand. The two facets combined have paid large dividends for France. Against Wales in Round 3, Alldritt topped the carries (13) and metres made (104) charts, while Le Roux and Willemse combined for 39 tackles at Principality Stadium. Captain Ollivon has contributed three tries in as many games and has made more metres than any other player in France’s squad. Cros isn’t far behind, either.
