France wary of resurgent Scotland
Scottish skipper Laidlaw credits win over Ireland to his team’s new-found mental toughness
Centre Remi Lamerat admitted France are feeling the pressure ahead of today’s Six Nations clash against Scotland in Paris.
Although widely considered to be improving under Guy Noves, who took over the reins of the France side from Philippe SaintAndre following the 2015 World Cup debacle, ‘Les Bleus’ are still finding victories hard to come by.
They won only two matches in last year’s Six Nations before, in November, losing by two points to Australia and by five against New Zealand.
Last weekend’s 19-16 reverse against England took Noves’s record to seven defeats from 11 internationals.
Meanwhile Scotland — with seven wins from their last 11 — have been getting steadily better since losing every match of the 2015 Six Nations, culminating with their shock 27-22 success against Ireland last week.
“For us in the backs, when we have a three-quarter line [opposite] as talented and spectacular, it’s a great challenge,” said Clermont centre Lamerat.
“We’re quite impressed with the progress they’ve made.”
Whereas in many previous years a clash against visiting Scots would have been considered a home banker — France were on a 10-match winning streak against Scotland until last year’s 29-18 Six Nations reverse at Murrayfield — now there is a very real feeling that Vern Cotter’s team is capable of leaving the Stade de France with a full compliment of points.
According to Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw, it is a tough mental edge that has been added to the team that is making the difference.
“Where I feel the team has made massive strides is being able to dig ourselves out of a hole,” said the Glasgow scrum-half.
“After allowing Ireland to come back at us, we managed to get field positions and eventually see out the win, so it’s pleasing to know we can perform in these situations.
“We understand how we can win games from being behind. We need everything we had from the Ireland game and take that forward into the French game.”
New Zealander Cotter said his team would have to be at their “relentless best” to come out on top.
But Noves is fed up with his team being the nearly men.
“We’re able to challenge the biggest nations but we now have to move into the next gear to tip the balance in tight games,” he said.
Scotland captain