Scotland vs. France: 5 Key Battles That Will Shape 2016 RBS 6 Nations Clash

In the 2016 RBS Six Nations, France travel to Murrayfield on Sunday to take on a resurgent home side who ended their nine-game losing run in the competition two weeks ago.

The Scots are scenting blood a decade on from their last win over Les Bleus in 2006.

Here are the five key battles for this one.

The statistics suggest that if a game involves the French, it will be a tight one. Guy Noves' men squeaked past Italy by two points and Ireland by one in this year's Six Nations. Their margin of defeat in Cardiff was nine.

Scotland can expect a gritty affair with the scoreboard kept close, and that will bring the accuracy of both sides' goal-kickers into play.

So far, Greig Laidlaw has made 15 successful kicks at goal in the first three games, which compares favourably with French No. 10 Jules Plisson, who has slotted just two conversions and four penalties.

Laidlaw has his eye in, and Plisson will have to deal with a hostile Murrayfield crowd as he tries to match the scrum-half when it comes to lining the sticks up.

Finn Russell continues to impress as a No. 10 keen to play with ball in hand and get the Scottish back line expressing itself.

He has had his moments in the championship, but he also wasted some chances, such as the missed opportunity to feed Stuart Hogg against England after doing all the hard work to break through the English defence.

He looked more assured in his option-taking in the win over Italy, and as the 23-year-old matures, he will surely find that consistency in his performances that comes with experience.

In the opposite No. 10 jersey, Jules Plisson had a poor game against Wales and was replaced by Francois Trinh-Duc on the hour, after playing a comical part in George North's try.

Guy Noves has gone for Trinh-Duc for this game, and he will be looking for his man to spark this French team in the way Russell is capable of doing for the home side.

If either No. 10 can get this game by the scruff of the neck, they can be the architect of a win for their team.

Alex Dunbar is named at No. 12 for Scotland against France after missing a year of rugby with a knee injury.

Maxime Mermoz gets the nod in the French No. 12 jersey despite the return of Wesley Fofana, who is picked on the wing on his return from a rib problem.

In the No. 13 jerseys, the robust Duncan Taylor will go up against Gael Fickou, who can be a handful for anyone when in the mood.

Space is always at a premium in this congested area of the field, and it will be crucial for any man who makes a break in these areas to have the support around him to capitalise on getting behind the gainline.

Stuart Hogg and Scott Spedding enjoyed a full-blooded battle in last season's fixture.

The Scotland full-back was the most potent attacking weapon for his side in Paris that day and was only denied a fine try by a Spedding cover tackle.

The New Zealand-born Spedding has a huge boot on him and will doubtless tempt Hogg to play out of deep territory by forcing the Glasgow man to collect way back in his 22.

But Hogg has shown on many occasions that he will attack from a long way out, and he can often do so with damaging consequences for a disorganised defensive line.

As ever, set pieces will play an important part in the contest.

Scottish loosehead Alasdair Dickinson has had a fine tournament thus far, but on Sunday, he meets Rabah Slimani, a superb technician and one of the key men in Stade Francais' charge to the Top 14 title last season.

Slimani's strength and ability will put Dickinson to the test, and when he's had enough, France will roll on the hulking figure of Uini Atonio to add even more bulk to the front row.

If Dickinson can stand up to this onslaught, Scotland's ball should be safe.