Nine-try France fire warning but Scots grab bonus

FRANCE U20s laid down a marker with a dominant performance at Broadwood Stadium as they comfortably saw off Scotland.

Adrien Seguret scored a hat-trick but it was an allround team affair as Les Bleuets ran in nine tries to move top of the table after two games.

The Scots kept battling, with Guy Graham scoring two tries, but they were second best and outgunned by the visitors.

Romain Ntamack, who finished with 20 points, slotted an early penalty, before converting Maxence Lemardelet’s try on 15 minutes.

The second try came on the half-hour when Ntamack spotted a gap, raced through and the produced a brilliant wide pass for Boudehent to score in the corner.

The third try came from a rolling maul. Maxime Lamothe was the man to cross this time, before Baptiste Heguy stretched his legs on his way to the bonus-point score just before half-time.

Leading 34-0 at the break, France hit another gear at the start of the second, with Lucas Tauzin scoring from the kick-off before Seguret scored two tries in three minutes.

That made it 55-0, but the Scots battled back well, with Graham going over twice as the home side finally established some territorial position.

Louis Carbonel, on for Ntamack, then ran in the eighth, with a brilliant step on his way to the line, before Seguret completed his hat-trick.

It was the Scots who had the final say, though, with a penalty try six minutes from time, although they could not work their way for a bonus point in the final minutes.

The win leaves France with ten points from two games so far in the Championship ahead of their clash with Italy U20s, while Scotland host England U20s, who have also won two from two.