France get campaign back on track
France coach Fabien Galthie hailed his players for battling through adversity in a 20-16 victory over Scotland on Sunday after a week of stinging criticism back home.
Les Bleus were on the end of a 38-17 thrashing by Ireland to open the Six Nations, which captain Gregory Alldritt described as a “car crash” performance.
The display was not much better at Murrayfield as both sides were booed by the 67,000 crowd as the game descended into a scrappy kicking contest in the second half.
But France emerged victorious in controversial fashion after 20-year-old Louis BielleBiarrey
produced a moment of magic to score a brilliant individual try 10 minutes from time.
Scotland thought they had snatched victory with the last act of the game when Sam Skinner looked to have forced the ball down on the French line.
However, referee Nic Berry ruled no try on the field and a lengthy TMO review failed to find conclusive evidence to overturn the decision.
Victory saved Galthie from overseeing three consecutive French defeats for the first time since 2018.
Les Bleus appear to be still suffering a hangover from a heartbreaking quarter-final defeat to South Africa at last year’s Rugby World Cup on home soil.
For the first time since taking charge in the wake of the 2019 World Cup, Galthie’s position is being questioned.
But a hard-fought victory kept alive France’s hopes of winning back the Six Nations title should Ireland’s expected cruise towards a second consecutive Grand Slam falter. “We recalled the values of the game,” said Galthie.
“We enjoyed ourselves. This is a sport of combat, you have to be combative. One has to accept that there are times of adversity.
“We dealt with that this week. We lose together, we win together.” Alldritt was forced off injured early in the second half, but France’s younger generation helped turn the game around.
Bielle-Biarrey produced the one moment of quality in the second half by collecting his own kick through to score from 21-year-old Nolann Le Garrec’s pass.
Steve Borthwick praised England’s resilience as they “found a way to win” after coming from behind to beat Wales 16-14 in a tense Six Nations encounter at Twickenham on Sunday.
Wales were 14-5 ahead at halftime and on course to end a seven-match losing streak at Twickenham following a penalty try and an effort from Alex Mann either side of a score by England No.8 Ben Earl.
Never before had England been nine points down at home and still won. But England, down to 13 men early on after forwards Ollie Chessum and Ethan Roots were sin-binned, hit back after the break.
A George Ford penalty cut the deficit before a try from centre Fraser Dingwall left England, third at last year’s Rugby World Cup in France, just a point adrift at 13-14.
Ford then landed another penalty to make it 16-14 as England led for the first time in the match after Wales were reduced to 14 men following a yellow card for replacement Mason Grady.
England then closed out the game.