6N 2018: Scotland v France, 11th February

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SCOTLAND v FRANCE
11 February 2018
KO: 15:00 GMT
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Live on [BBC Jockland]

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant 1: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant 2: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)

A. Head to Head

91 Played 91
35 Won 53
3 Drawn 3
53 Lost 35
1,118 Points 1,302

B. Recent Form

8 March 2014
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
17 – 19 to France

7 February 2015
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
15 – 8 to France

5 September 2015
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
19 – 16 to France

13 March 2016
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
29 – 18 to Scotland

12 February 2017
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
22 – 16 to France

C. Teams

SCOTLAND 

Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Peter Horne (all Glasgow), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Finn Russell (Glasgow), Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne); Gordon Reid (London Irish), Stuart McInally, Simon Berghan, Grant Gilchrist (all Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Glasgow), John Barclay (Scarlets, capt), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow).

Replacements: Scott Lawson (Newcastle), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow), Jon Welsh (Newcastle), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh), Dave Denton (Worcester), Ali Price (Glasgow), Chris Harris (Newcastle), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh).

FRANCE


Palis; Thomas, Doumayrou, Lamerat, Vakatawa; Beauxis, Machenaud; Poirot, Guirado, Slimani, Itturia, Vahaamahina , Lauret , Tauleigne.

Replacements: Pelissie, Ben Arous, Gomes Sa, Gabrillagues, Serin, Belleau, Fall.

***


What is worse? Getting utterly thrashed by a rampant Welsh team away from home, when everyone (except the Welsh clearly) saw Scotland as the up and coming team about to do great things in this tournament; or to lose a game with a drop goal on the last kick of the game to an Irish team who had just kept the ball for 31 phases!

Answers on a postcard please!

The truth is neither scenario is a good one and it is hard to guess how they will play on the minds of the respective teams over the coming week.

The good thing is that in the 6N, redemption is potentially only a game away and both teams have another chance at it this coming weekend.

Both teams look like they will have to make significant changes, France due to injury and Scotland because they were so cr*p yesterday. How that will pan out on the game is anyone's guess.

I am not however expecting to hear to many optimistic noises coming from the Scotland camp or their fans and media this week. Let us go back to being the underdogs, it seems to be the only mindset that can get us to play well!

All momentum with Scotland just now - we need to capitalise on this

Panic stations France there. What a mad game!

France just handing the game to Scotland.

eirebilly wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

Cyril wrote:eirebilly, calm down we wouldn’t want you leaving the forum in a strop again

Good to see you still have a sense of humour, could be worse, you could be a dour individual

Can you two please ignore each other - it has been a good thread so far!

Apologies.

The Oracle wrote:France just handing the game to Scotland.

I hope so!

Surely several French players were offside after that kick from the try line ?

New feeding rules completely forgotten about - both teams feeding into the second row!

Scotland looking much, much better this half. Need to take advantage!

eirebilly wrote:Right call to remove Russell, he was not having the best day and his confidence was visibly low.

Absolutely. Decent player, but on the crest of a horrible slump in form and confidence. Now watch him suddenly re-find his mojo and have an absolute stormer when England come up to Marrayfield!

Game over. Time to stop watching that dross. Depressing.

Oh come on Scotland

How does Picamoles not get into the starting team, he is a brilliant player.

eirebilly wrote:How does Picamoles not get into the starting team, he is a brilliant player.

Agreed

France have been so stupid this half. Absolutely no need to give a penalty there - Scotland were going nowhere!

Go on the sweaty socks.

That's how to kick for touch ...

Fickle, fickle Scottish fans. First 'Flower of Scotland' only after Scotland take the lead for the first time, after 72 minutes. Before that, the only time they've been audible is when they booed - twice - when Lacey came back for a French penalty when an advantage didn't work in their favour. I'm quietly confident they'll be noisier much earlier in the game when the Auld Enemy come calling soon.

Scotland showing great calmness and control her, a stark contrast to last week.

For the first time in a long time our bench has made a huge difference

With Russell having an awful game, it’s lucky Lacey has had an excellent game for Scotland.

Laidlaw should be taking 90 there.

This is the game!

How did Laidlaw get MOTM. Been poor. Huw Jones for me.

Our maul defence has been superb all game

Well done again Lacey. Well done

What a great win Scotland

Played Scotland

Did Lacey just punch the air in celebration?

Feck me that was stressful but ultimately a much improved second half performance and France imploding in discipline got us over the line!

Cyril wrote:Did Lacey just punch the air in celebration?

Its getting quite boring now.

Not too bad. Not too bad at all!

Well done Scotland - looked like they might lose it at times but managed to get it home in the end ...

Thought Horne had a very good game today, I was amazed at the amount of hard carries he put in for a small guy

Well done Scotland - looked like they might lose it at times but managed to get it home in the end ...

TheMildlyFranticLlama wrote:Thought Horne had a very good game today, I was amazed at the amount of hard carries he put in for a small guy

Agreed - I've been one of his biggest critics for Scotland but he did his job well.

Paul O Connell "the Scots just let the French shoot themselves in the foot"

Spot on..

Great result. Laidlaw the difference despite his gaffe, heads didn't drop after the early scores.

Said before the tournament that Murrayfield was going to tough for any team this year...

France 0 from 2.

Only silverware Scotland are getting this year.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

TheMildlyFranticLlama wrote:Thought Horne had a very good game today, I was amazed at the amount of hard carries he put in for a small guy

Agreed - I've been one of his biggest critics for Scotland but he did his job well.

Same here, he's looked out of his depth at this level in a few games in the past but he really stepped up today. I'd go as far as to say that without him outside Russell today there would've been a danger that we'd have imploded given how Russell was playing. Very impressed

If France are in a ' which of us two can give away the most stupid penalties?' contest, there's only ever going to be one winner, ie loser. What a shockingly indisciplined performance. More positively, well done Scotland. A gutsy comeback from another dreadful slow start.

PS heaf - come off it! A team who doesn't take the lead till the 71st minute is not quite a team who looked 'at times' like they might not win. They're a gutsy team who had to dig deep and won out at the last.

TightHEAD wrote:Only silverware Scotland are getting this year.

Stop it. If you're English, I'm ashamed. The Calcutta Cup usually fails to go to script, especially at Murrayfield. There's a real contest in prospect two weeks from now. Respect, please.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Huge call - Finn is off!

and Toonie made the right call. You can't say he does not have balls!

Instant player ratings for Scotland at this stage.

The good:
Laidlaw. Kicking won is the game. Cool head was much needed
Berghan. Scrum was solid. Made plenty carries
Gilchrist. Defence was in top. Plenty big carries
Watson. Good carries. Menace at the breakdown

Ok but must do better
Barclay.
Wilson.
Gray. (Yes I said it, I'd have left gilchrist on instead)

The bad:
Finn Russell. There's no one to take his spot but he's playing soooooo badly right now. Correct call by toonie to hook him.

I actually felt that France put out a more experienced and better team than they did against Ireland. They also played much better than last week, discipline was still a major issue for them and ultimately costly.

Scotland did not show the same level of panic that they did when going behind against Wales and showed great composure throughout the game. It was a very positive win for Scotland.

SimonofSurrey wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Only silverware Scotland are getting this year.

Stop it. If you're English, I'm ashamed. The Calcutta Cup usually fails to go to script, especially at Murrayfield. There's a real contest in prospect two weeks from now. Respect, please.

BigGee wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Huge call - Finn is off!

and Toonie made the right call. You can't say he does not have balls!

Laidlaw was as surprised as anyone!

You have to say all the selection calls proved right

Berghan, Gilchrist, Denton, Laidlaw and Horne all proved they deserved to be in the team.

Maybe Finn will take on board that he even he is not indispensable. Hopefully he will come back stronger though and really show his true class

Got to say I'm impressed with Warburton as a pundit - he's very fair and honest.

BigGee wrote:You have to say all the selection calls proved right

Berghan, Gilchrist, Denton, Laidlaw and Horne all proved they deserved to be in the team.

Maybe Finn will take on board that he even he is not indispensable. Hopefully he will come back stronger though and really show his true class

Spot on Gee, glad you mentioned Denton there too because I thought he brought a lot off the bench and he's not always the most popular player on here!