Audio: The week in French sports

Rugby – Six Nations Championship

France’s rugby union team sealed a crucial victory against Scotland (31-24) in their opening game of the Six Nations Saturday at the Stade de France in Paris

Although France's perfomance was a huge improvement on their humiliating defeat to Australia last autumn, the French defence remains a problem. The Scots were overpowered but still managed to score three tries. Marc Lièvremont's men will need to toughen up at the back before the next game in Dublin, where they will be without Perpignan back Maxime Mermoz, whose Six Nations campaign came to a premature end on Saturday.

 
Football – International

Nine months have passed since the World Cup fiasco but Les Bleus are still on the long road to redemption. On Wednesday, France will face Brazil in a friendly match they hope will help repair their battered image and confirm their recent good form (four victories in as many games). But have they got a chance against Brazilian stars Pato, Hulk and Robinho? Without Arsenal's Samir Nasri and Marseille's in-form Mathieu Valbuena, who are both injured, coach Laurent Blanc faces a problem of leadership in midfield. Lyon's Yoan Gourcuff is expected to take up the role, but time and again the man once heralded as the new Zinedine Zidane has buckled under the weight of expectation.

Football – Media

On Sunday, French sports programme Stade2 announced Interpol was investigating the epic 4-4 draw between Arsenal and Newcastle. Within hours, several UK papers had picked up on the story. The Daily Telegraph said Interpol had denied it was probing the game, but Stade 2 journalist Alain Vernon is sticking to his word.