Try records fall as France ransack Dublin

France’s 42-27 win over Ireland in Dublin on Saturday propelled them into the lead in the Six Nations title chase.

But their free-scoring form has not only got the trophy engraver sharpening his tools, it is forcing a rewriting of historic records.

Wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey’s scorching form has delivered seven tries in four matches – a record for a Frenchman in a Six Nations campaign.

With a match to go in this year’s tournament, he is already level with Ireland wing Jacob Stockdale’s record for tries in a single edition of the competition.

If he crosses again against Scotland in Paris on Saturday, the 21-year-old will turn his sights to the all-time record in the tournament.

England’s Cyril Lowe and Scotland’s Ian Smith scored eight tries in the 1914 and 1925 championships respectively.

Bielle-Biarrey now has 17 tries from his first 18 caps but has some way to go to catch his Bordeaux-Begles team-mate Damian Penaud.

Penaud crossed for his 38th try for France in the win over Ireland, equalling the record held by the legendary Serge Blanco.

The 28-year-old has reached his tally in significantly fewer games, having won 55 caps to Blanco’s 93.

Thomas Ramos is another French player with an eye on a landmark. The 29-year-old will surpass former fly-half Frederic Michalak as France’s all-time record points scorer if he can score seven points to reach a total of 437.

Barring a wasteful defeat by England in round two, France have been ruthless.

They have scored 26 tries in four matches, 11 of them in the 74-23 thrashing of Italy, which is France’s biggest ever win in the championship.

If they keep up that rate of scoring, they will comfortably break the record for tries scored in a single campaign, which was set by England when they crossed 29 times en route to the title in 2001.