Match report
Stat-attack: “France’s 17 point victory is their biggest in the Six Nations against anyone other than Italy since they won 28-9 against Wales eight years ago,” writes Simon Gleave, head of sports analysis, Gracenote.
Full-time: France 27-10 Scotland
Baptiste Serin scores the conversion with the final kick of the game and it’s all over at the Stade de France. It was a very impressive performance and victory for France, who scored four tries and had several more disallowed en route to victory. Scotland huffed and puffed but were ultimately too error-prone, not clinical enough and far too toothless up front.
TRY! France 25-10 Scotland
80+8 min France 25-10 Scotland: France drive repeatedly at the Scotland line and Gregory Alldritt goes over once again.
80+7 min: France 20-10 Scotland: The clock ticks on, with both teams looking for a bonus point. France have the ball on the Scottish line and look to have possibly gone over - Nic Berry signals for the TMO. Gregory Alldritt was in possession ... but the try is disallowed for double movement. France have another try disallowed. That’s three-and-a-half, if not four, the TMO has diddled them out of. France scrum on the Scottish five-metre line.
80+4 min France 20-10 Scotland: Fail to find it, because they weren’t looking for it - they want a bonus point try.
Updated
80+2 min France 20-10 Scotland: Scotland get to within four metres of the France line, but French resistance is stout. We’re on Phase 20. We’ll have no more, as Nic Berry blows for a France penalty. Actually scrap that - France play the ball long down the field and don’t manage to put it into touch.
80 min France 20-10 Scotland: Scotland plug on, but make little ground. They’re still on the France 22 in Phase 12 of the game’s final play.
80 min France 20-10 Scotland: Scotland have the ball on the France 22 as the 80 minutes elapse and the clock turns scarlet.
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TRY! France 20-10 Scotland
78 min France 20-3 Scotland: An uncharacteristically delighted French crowd strike up a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise which comes to a very abrupt end as Scotland score a long overdue try straight from the kick-off. Ali Price slides between the post after Scotland had taken dvantage of a wonderful kick-off by Blair Kinghorn. Even I’d score that conversion and the extra two points are duly added.
Updated
TRY! France 20-3 Scotland
75 min France 20-3 Scotland: France win their own scrum and look for the shove, driving towards the French line. Over they go, twisting and driving, with replacement No8 Gregory Alldritt picking the ball from his own feet and touching down. Baptiste Serin puts his conversion wide.
73 min France 15-3 Scotland: Five-metre scrum for France as they look to have been stopped inches short of the Scotland line. Gael Fikou claims his team have grounded the ball and it’s sent upstairs to the TMO. Ritchie had the ball and was shoved backwards over his own line and grounds the ball at the bottom of a ruck before the ball is engulfed in assorted French hands. That’s the third “try” France have had disallowed now.
71 min France 15-3 Scotland: Blair Kinghorn gallops into space and looks around for support before getting swamped by three French defenders. France have emptied their bench too but are looking very leggy.
70 min France 15-3 Scotland: There’s a bit of pushing and shoving between both sets of players, which prompts referee Nic Berry to tell both captains to tell their teams to behave themselves. This, meanwhile, from our anorak-wearing man, Simon Gleave, at Gracenote: “France have failed to win on six of the last eight occasions that they have held a half-time lead in an international match, losing five and drawing one,” he says.
69 min France 15-3 Scotland: Unlike his footballing namesake, Will, Scotland centre Nick Grigg is not on fire. He runs into Yoann Huget, who strips him of possession and ruins a promising Scotland move in the process.
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68 min France 15-3 Scotland: Brilliant play from Adam Hastings, who goers on a weaving run through the centre for Scotland, who find themselves within 10 metres of the French line.
66 min France 15-3 Scotland: France penalty after Grant Gilchrist fails to roll away from a tackle. Romain Ntamack puts in a massive clearance with a kick from the hand.
64 min France 15-3 Scotland: France play it out wide and Nick Grigg puts in a brilliant tackle on Gael Fickou, before Adam Hastings wins a penalty under his own posts. Scotland use the break in play to empty their bench and bring on their six remaining substitutes.
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63 min France 15-3 Scotland: Basteraud charges for the line, but is tackled a couple of metres short. Scotland are buckling under some extreme French pressure, here. Picamoles drives forward into a wall of Scottish resistance about three metres out.
61 min France 15-3 Scotland: Selfish play from Yoann Huget, who eschews several opportunities to pass to team-mates who could have waltzed over the Scottish line. He’s brought to ground a feew yards from the line and France win a penalty when a Scottish forward goes off his feet at the ruck. Five-metre scrum for France.
59 min France 15-3 Scotland: Adam Hastings, still on the field at out-half with Peter Horne at inside centre after Sam Johnson was substituted, sends a wonderful kick in behind the the French backline, prompting a bout of bickering between Thomas Ramos and Yoann Huget over who should have chased it.
55 min France 15-3 Scotland: Sean Maitland finds himself in possession on the touchline, galloping towards the French line. He’s tackled a few yards short and France clear their lines. Scotland line-out on the France 22. Scotland give away possession cheaply again, however, when Tommy Seymour knocks on. Ben Toolis has just replaced Jonny Gray in the Scottish second row.
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53 min France 15-3 Scotland: Peter Horne, who had been off for a head injury assessment, returns to action. Adam Hastings had been covering for him.
52 min France 15-3 Scotland: Scotland get quick ball out to the left touchline and Kinghorn chips and chases, only to be beaten to the ball by Wenceslas Lauret. He’d knocked on in the build-up, so it wouldn’t have counted anyway.
50 min France 15-3 Scotland: There’s a break in play as Scotland winger Tommy Seymour receives treatment for an injury to his left wrist, which he injured while putting in a tackle. He’s passed fit to continue for now, despite looking in extreme discomfort.
49 min France 15-3 Scotland: “USE! USE!” shouts referee Nic Berry as French scrum-half Antoine Dupont stands behind a ruck wondering what to do with the ball.
44 min France 15-3 Scotland: Brilliant airborne take from Damian Pernaud a few yards in front of the Scottish line, the winger beating two Scotsmen to pluck an excellent Ntamack kick in behind from the sky. That’s outstanding.
Updated
45 min France 15-3 Scotland: Apologies for flashing up an incorrect score in the previous entry. Scotland are in possession just outside their own 22, but cede possession when Sam Johnson passes forward. His mistake in such a dangerous area earns him a rollocking from his skipper, Greig Laidlaw.
44 min France 15-3 Scotland: That was a marvellous try, featuring strong running, several excellent offloads, a charge and a delightful chip-and-gather from Mathieu Basteraud before Huget went over. Scotland’s only touch of the ball in this half before France scored was their own kick-off.
Updated
TRY! France 15-3 Scotland
France pick-up where they left off, coming from their own 22 to go over the Scottish line, with Yoann Huget finishing a wonderful team move. Thomas Ramos fails to add the extras, hitting the post.
Updated
Second half: France 10-3 Scotland
41 min: Scotland kick off with a seven-point gap to close. Wenceslas Lauret rises to take the catch from Blair Kinghorn’s drop-kick.
Half-time: France 10-3 Scotland
“Half-time, boys,” announces referee Nic Berry after a shrill blast on his whistle as the ball bounces out of play near the halway line. France have dominated, showing flashes of their former selves with a wonderful counter-attacking
40 min France 10-3 Scotland: A period of sustained French pressure, in which they made no ground whatsoever, comes to an end almost exactly where it started after Sebastien Vahaamahina knocks on as he stretches to catch a pass. Scotland scrum on their own 22 and the clock is in the red zone.
37 min France 10-3 Scotland: Guilhem Guirado is back on for France. Winger Yoann Huget, whose spell on the Naughty Step is finished, also returns to the field. France put-in, just outside the Scotland 22.
36 min France 10-3 Scotland: Scotland win a cheap penalty for offside and Blair Kinghorn kicks for touch. Scotland line-out just inside the French 22. Wenceslas Lauret steals the ball and another opportunity is wasted by Scotland as they throw long.
34 min France 10-3 Scotland: Down to 14 men for another two minutes, France lead by seven points and have missed one easy(ish) penalty and had two tries disallowed. That’s a potential 17 points they’ve left behind them so far – a sign of their dominance, but will they be punished for their carelessness?
32 min France 10-3 Scotland: A woeful penalty kick from Thomas Ramos leaves the scoreboard operator with nothing to do, but in better news from France, their captain is back from his HIA and looks like he’s been given the all clear to continue.
(DISALLOWED) TRY! France 10-3 Scotland
30 min France 10-3 Scotland: Gael Fikou goes over, latching on to a wonderfully timed chip-kick under pressure from Romain Ntamack. TMO Rowan Kitt, a rosbif by nationality and bound to be unpopular with the home crowd, spots another knock-on in the build-up and the try is disallowed. That’s a shame, because it was another beauty.
28 min France 10-3 Scotland: The referee is as good as his word and Yoann Huget is sin-binned for going in the wrong side of a ruck, paying the price for the earlier indiscretions of his team-mates.
His skipper, meanwhile, is sent for a head injury assessment. With a shake of his head Guirado jogs off the pitch and down the tunnel. I’m surprised he wasn’t sent immediately after receiving treatment a few minutes ago, to be honest. I’m no doctor, but I suspect that may be the last we see of Monsieur Guirado in this game. Camille Chat is on in his place.
25 min France 10-3 Scotland Scotland penalty after Basteraud comes in from the side moments after making a tackle. The ref warns Guirado that the next French player to do this will be sent to the sin-bin and Greig Laidlaw slots the ball over to get Scotland on the scoreboard.
24 min France 10-0 Scotland Guirado, who has been inspirational for France so far, is passed fit to continue and takes his place for a scrum on the French 22. Scotland have the put-in.
24 min France 10-0 Scotland: Simon Berghan tries to make ground up the right touchline but is brought down. There’s a break in play for treatment to French captain and hooker Guillhem Guirado, who has shipped a Scottish hip to the head and looks to be in a bit of trouble.
23 min France 10-0 Scotland: Peter Horne breaks through the French defence and Scotland play the ball out wide out to Grant Gilchrist on the side line. The ball comes back inside and Horne take a massive hit from Guirado that prompts an intake of breath from those in the stands. Fair play to Horn, he held on to the ball and got back to his feet immediately. Scotland have a penalty in a kickable position, but Greg Laidlaw hits the post . France react quickest and make ground to the halfway line.
19 min France 10-0 Scotland Scotland win a penalty inside their own half after Demba Bamba handles illegally in a ruck. Horne kicks for the French ten metre line.
17 min: France 10-0 Scotland Completely in control of this game, France win another penalty in front of the Scottish posts after Blair Kinghorn refuses to release the ball after retrieving the ball under pressure from a French kick-and-chase. Thomas Ramos slots the ball over.
Updated
TRY! France 7-0 Scotland (Ntamack 12)
A brilliant counter-attacking try by France, who scythe through the Scotland defence with a glorious running move. Th0omas Ramos, Damian Pernaud and Antoine Dupont were all heavily involved as they built from deep, with Pernaud taking a massive hit from Nick Grigg as he offloaded to Dupont. Up in support, Ntamack touched down under the posts and the bonus points are duly added.
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12 min: France 0-0 Scotland: France go through the phases - eight so far - to go within seven metres of the Scotland line. Excellent defending by Scotland, who win a penalty and another chance to clear their lines. Great running by Basteraud there, running at the heart of the Scottish defence like an angry bull.
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10 min France 0-0 Scotland: France on the front foot and Sean Maitland takes a ferocious thump from Damian Pernaud, who flattens him as he barges through him. France win a penalty and kick for touch, with Demba Bamba snatching the ball from the air. France are dominating proceedings here.
9 min France 0-0 Scotland: Laidlaw passes deep to Kinghorn, who boots clear from the five-metre scrum. It’s a fine clearance by the full-back.
Try disallowed!!! France 0-0 Scotland
TMO: Referee Nic Berry consults with his TMO, Rowan Kitt, looking for a possible knock-on in the build-up to the try. He spots one!!! Five yard scrum and Scotland have the put-in.
Try! France 5-0 Scotland
7 min France 5-0 Scotland: Gael Fikou and Mathieu Basteraud are stopped just short of the Scottish line after a great chip kick. After a great off-load that suck in two Scottish defenders, the ball’s played out wide to French prop Jefferson Poirot, who goes over in the corner despite a challenge from Greig Laidlaw
5 min France 0-0 Scotland: Scotland have possession and are trying to advance up the pitch, ruck after ruck, breakdown after breakdown. Nick Grigg loses it and France are back in possession just outside the Scottish 22.
3 min France 0-0 Scotland: Scotland’s rolling maul is illegallly dragged to the ground, earning them the opportunity to clear their lines from the penalty. Play resumes in the middle of the park, with Scotland in possession. A box kick from Laidlaw is chased by Jamie Ritchie, but France full-back leaps highest to catch cleanly.
2 min: France 0-0 Scotland: Scotland kick for touch but France win the line-out, stealing possession. Antoine Dupont makes good yards for France, who win a line-out about five yards from the Scotland line. France don’t contest the line-out, opting to try to drive for the line. It doesn’t work – Scotland get their maul on and drive the French pack up the pitch.
1 min France 0-0 Scotland: On the whistle of former scrum-half turned referee Nic Berry, France get the ball airborne with outside-half Romain Ntamack doing the honours. Sean Maitland catches and takjes a big hit and Scotland win a penalty when several over-enthusiastic French players come in from the side.
Kick-off is just a couple of minutes away: Following stirring renditions of Flower of Scotland and La Marseillaise, the very last of the pre-match formalities are under way. Play will begin very shortly. Here’s hoping for a good one ...
The teams are in the tunnel ... and out they march on to the Stade de France sward, to an enthusiastic welcome from the 80,000 French supporters who haven’t lost faith in their team. There are pyrotechnics and cheesy Europop galore, while the supporters wave their standard issue tricolours.
Today’s match officials
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales) and Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
From Stuart Bathgate’s match preview: Of the Scotland team’s key quartet, only the captain, Greig Laidlaw, is in the squad, Finn Russell having joined Stuart Hogg and Willem Nel on the injury list this week. Factor in other absentees such as Huw Jones,, Ryan Wilson and Hamish Watson, and it may seem that this game is France’s to lose. But that also appeared to be the case at half-time in their last home game, before they went on to surrender a 16-0 lead to Wales.
“Given such an ignominious collapse was followed by a heavy defeat at Twickenham, it is evident self-belief is in short supply in the French ranks, as Jacques Brunel implied when asked if, by naming his team two days early, he were not giving the Scots an advantage. “After seeing our performance against England, Scotland must be pretty confident anyway,” the head coach said.
Six Nations: France v Scotland
One of the worst French teams in living memory host injury-ravaged Scotland with both teams in dire need of a win. France have lost both their opening matches, the most recent defeat being an extremely heavy one at Twickenham. Now on his third full-back in as many matches, France coach Jacques Brunel has made four changes and several positional switches, completely revamping his backline in the process.
His opposite number, Gregor Townsend, has been forced into making the same number of changes, the main one being the introduction of Peter Horne at fly-half to replace Finn Russell, who is injured. Kick-off at the Stade de France is at 2.15pm (GMT), but stay tuned for team news and build-up.
