Scots leave the French flustered

13 April 2012

So much for the current weakness of Scotland and the renewed strength of a now disciplined French side marching towards the next triumph.

So much for any uncertainty in the outcome of the Six Nations Championship. They might as well hand over the trophy now to England. They assuredly will do so when, on the evidence of yesterday, the French cop a hiding at Twickenham.

France, conceding penalties with alarming regularity, maintained their stubborn capacity for inconsistency by following up an impressive recent victory over New Zealand with a faltering defeat of a Scotland side who were only a touch of class and a measure of composure short of another surprise win in Paris.

Gregor Townsend could well have been that missing ingredient, though it can never be said with certainty that his departure through injury after four minutes represented the difference between success and failure.

He had looked more than lively in the opening exchanges and would surely have benefited from the return to form of John Leslie. Time and again Leslie made half-breaks only for the support at his shoulder to be either too late or too distant, or both.

You could almost imagine Townsend ghosting into the openings and creating attacking opportunities for his team-mates. But you had to close your eyes to see it.

Instead, we witnessed the poignant sight of the fly half limping up the steps of the Stade de France as Christophe Lamaison, against a background of disgruntled whistling from his supporters, kicked the injury-time penalty that finally settled Scotland's fate.

Yet, even without Townsend, who will miss the next match due to a potentially serious knee problem, a battling and well- drilled Scotland outfit had opportunities to record an opening victory of the campaign.

Twice in a first half they began by dominating, skipper Andy Nicol - one of seven Scottish players to be replaced by the end - broke deep into French territory only to fail to link up with the support.

Nothing, though, was as disappointing as the handling error by Jon Petrie as a superb run from Chris Paterson put the No.8 into enough space to suggest an equal-ising try was a formality. That came deep into the second half at a time when Scotland were emerging from something of a siege and finishing the stronger.

France had scored the only try within 60 seconds of the resumption through the speedy Philippe Bernat-Salles. Scotland were then a man short, Martin Leslie having been sin-binned in first half stoppage time for a high tackle on the same winger.

But France did not score again until injury time as the Scots defended stoutly and ultimately counter-attacked with vigour, if little threat.

The game was lost for Scotland in the first period when France could scarcely have been worse. They dropped balls, sprayed passes, conceded penalties and, in general, played with an extraordinary lack of urgency. It was almost as if the way Fabien Pelous casually led his troops on to the pitch had set a tone for proceedings.

But two Kenny Logan penalties, countered by the same from Lamaison, did scant justice to initial Scottish supremacy and adventure. Townsend had declared openly that Scotland would run the ball at France and, true to his word, they did, even after Duncan Hodge so prematurely assumed the No.10 duties.

Logan is one of those players incapable of having an uneventful game, no less so on the occasion of his 50th cap.

The Wasps winger did nothing better than holding up Bernat-Salles to deny a first-half try - a fact confirmed by video referee Brian Stirling - and nothing worse than allowing his opposite number to run round him for the French try.

Scotland coach Ian McGeechan said: 'We are very disappointed. We created the opportunities and did not finish them off. They did not need much finishing.'

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Scots leave the French flustered

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