Scotland fight but fall to France in Edinburgh battle

SCOTLAND went down fighting in a 15-5 Women’s Six Nations defeat in Edinburgh as France maintained their winning start to the tournament.

Lina Queyroi notched a straightforward penalty for the first points of the day.

Helen Nelson was unable to bring the hosts level as she curved her first penalty attempt wide.

Borderer Lisa Thomson then rescued Scotland with a cracking clearance after the French had charged down Meryl Smith.

Looking to build on their narrow victory over Wales in round one, the hosts established a 5-3 lead when hooker Ellis Martin touched down six minutes before the interval. Nelson’s conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

Molly Wright came on to replace Martin but she had been on the pitch only for seconds when she was injured in a tackle. Following a lengthy delay while she received treatment, she was taken off.

France responded better to the stoppage by quickly taking the lead through a Kelly Arbey try in the 53rd minute.

Queyroi’s conversion kick was off target and the fly-half then hit the righthand post from a penalty attempt as an upset remained on the cards.

But the visitors finished the game strongly and were rewarded when Emeline Gros crossed in stoppage time, denying Scotland the bonus point they deserved.

The defeat brings Scotland’s seven-match winning run to an end.

“It was really encouraging in so many ways,” Scotland head coach Bryan Easson told BBC One.

“Defensively we put our bodies on the line. Our lineout defence was outstanding, put them under pressure.

“I thought we pressurised them all the way.

“They deserved a point out of that, they deserved a bonus point.

“We are going places. “We are a team that’s going in a really good direction.

“England here next. I know we will put in another performance that will make us all proud.”