FRANCE CAN’T KEEP SCOTLAND DOWN, BUT . . .
Scotland got their World Cup preparations back on track at Murrayfield.
A week on from that 32-3 trouncing in Nice, the Scots defeated France 17-14 to boost confidence for Japan. But it appeared to take a lot out of flanker, John Barclay, who was pinned to the turf post match by one of his sons, Logan.
Scotland got their World Cup bandwagon back on track with a secondhalf rally yesterday.
Which was just as well, as the wheels had threatened to come off completely when they went 14-3 down to a good France side.
Two dispiriting losses on the trot to Les Bleus would have been a body blow to the Scots’ preparations for rugby’s showpiece in Japan, particularly after last week’s miserable capitulation in the south of France.
This performance wasn’t much better in the first half. But the second was better and the win, plus surely two more to come against Georgia, will banish the black clouds that have been hanging over BT Murrayfield.
What was particularly pleasing was how Scotland kept France at bay after Chris Harris’ try had edged them in front, for the first time, just short of the hour mark.
This was all the more admirable as they were doing so with a horribly patched-up pack.
When Sam Skinner hobbled off, the rejigged scrum saw starting hooker George Turner switch to the back row in place of Ryan Wilson, who moved to the second row, and Grant Stewart come on for his debut in Turner’s slot at the coalface.
Scotland skipper Greig Laidlaw said: “Our defence won us the game in the end.
“We put ourselves under pressure, but we we dug ourselves out of a hole. We managed to claw our way back into it slowly and steadily.”
Coach Gregor Townsend added: “I was really satisfied with the way the players found a way to win, against a team that had beaten them comfortably a week ago, and against multiple changes in rhythm with a lot of stoppages and injuries.
“That French side was stronger than the one we played in Nice, so what the players did today was excellent. But we know our performance will have to improve a lot over the next few weeks.”
The Scots had the nudge in the scrum all game and they competed at the breakdown
where debutant Blade Thomson made his presence felt.
Worryingly, he was forced off with a head knock early in the second half, his first cap having been delayed by a concussion he suffered in November which took months to clear.
Townsend said: “He played very well. He was aggressive in defence, he carried well and made the right decisions.
“I just hope the HIA he failed doesn’t mean he has to miss any more than the minimum time out of the game.”
What proved to be the decisive try came when the Scots forced a series of rucks on the French line.
They showed patience – not usually a Scottish virtue – and worked a gap for Harris to steam in on the crash ball and plunge over.
Harris also helped set up Scotland’s first try when he was hauled down just short of the line on the stroke of half-time. The ball being shifted to the left flank where Sean Maitland was given an easy run in.
Finn Russell had one of his less-effective games, throwing wayward passes and kicking loosely.
It was Russell’s spilled ball that created the turnover which allowed Gael Fickou to glide between Ryan Wilson and Maitland, outpacing both with ease, putting Damian Penaud over for his brace.
His first try came when, for the third game in a row, Scotland conceded a try in the second minute.
Laidlaw grimaced: “We talked about the first 10 minutes and starting well, and we certainly never did that.”
This score was a calamity for Peter Horne who was trying to release two Scots to his left, but instead passed the ball to Penaud standing straight in front of him, and the Frenchman had a simple run to the line.
The game was littered with errors and daft penalties but that didn’t matter to the 15th consecutive sell-out crowd who cheered Laidlaw converting both tries and a penalty, while Thomas Ramos converted both French scores.
SCOTLAND – Hogg; Seymour (Kinghorn 17), Harris, P. Horne (Hutchinson 66), Maitland; Russell, Laidlaw (Capt.)(g. Horne 70), Reid (Dell 48), Turner, Nel (Berghan 57), Cummings (Gilchrist 57), Skinner (Stewart 61), Wilson, Watson, Thomson (Barclay 43).
FRANCE – Ramos (Medard 61); Penaud, Fickou, Fofana, Raka; Lopez (Ntamack 38), Dupont (Serin 61); Poirot (Baille 51), Guirado (Capt.)(chat 51), Slimani (Setiano 61), Lambey ( Taofifenua 51), Vahaamahina, Iturria, Ollivon, Alldritt (Camara 61).