With their Sunday fixture behind them, Scotland can offer a little prayer of thanks that Euan Murray, having said his big ones, is back at tighthead prop against Wales. If they continue to be shoved around as they were by the French then this is going to be one long, horrid Six Nations for them.
France looked very organised in their demolition of the Scottish scrum, with all their members of the front row – Nicolas Mas, Luc Ducalcon and Thomas Domingo the three props used, and William Servat and Dimitri Szarzewski the two hookers – doing their bit. And they say that Fabien Barcella, when fit, is the best scrummager of the lot.
There was nothing wrong with the French lineout either. In fact, they did pretty well at the breakdown as well. France don't always launch themselves as the most organised of teams in the Six Nations, but with everybody else taking their time to re-acquaint themselves with the intensity of the action, they have stolen a march.
For all that, no team made more clean breaks than Scotland. Nobody made more yards than two individuals, John Beattie and Sean Lamont. It's rare to see a team going backwards so fast at the set piece and forwards with such a rush through the No8 and a wing. There was nothing complicated about their progress – they just ran, swerved and handed off tacklers.
To see so much individual skill unrewarded is going to be as frustrating for the Scots as being so minced at the scrum. Murray should sort out the scrum, but until Scotland can flood the ball-carrier with supporters they are going to be low scorers. And their defence will not always be able to keep their opponents (such as Australia) in single figures.
This is an excerpt from The Breakdown, guardian.co.uk's twice-weekly free email on the Six Nations. Sign up now!
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