Six Nations - Sluggish France down improved Scots

Eurosport - Mon, 16 Feb 08:03:00 2009

Scotland slipped to their second Six Nations defeat in seven days as France kick-started their campaign with an unconvincing 22-13 win in Paris.

Fulgence Ouedraogo - France - 0

France's under-pressure head coach Marc Lievremont claimed it would have been a "true humiliation" had his side lost at home to the Scots but they were leading just 6-3 at the end of a dire, error-strewn first half.

The French cut loose after the break, Fulgence Ouedraogo going over for a 45th-minute try and Lionel Beauxis adding 11 points to the six he kicked in the first half, but the jury is still out on Lievremont and his new charges.

At least France were able to avenge last weekend's reverse in Ireland. Scotland, convincingly defeated 26-13 by Wales on the opening weekend, were enterprising in fits and starts but disappointed overall.

Recalled winger Thom Evans darted over for a late try converted by Chris Paterson and Phil Godman booted over two penalties, but Frank Hadden's men again failed to deliver.

They lost the scrum battle and made too many simple errors throughout, something that will have to rectified before the visit of Italy in a fortnight's time in what could be a wooden-spoon decider.

Scotland were hoping to discover there was nowhere better to be on Valentine's Day than Paris but it did not work out that way.

With just two wins in the French capital in 40 years, the Scots were very much underdogs but when there is such a scenario, they often surprise themselves.

And they started decently enough, Simon Danielli's thunderous second-minute hit on Clement Poitrenaud a signal of intent.

The flaky full-back may have still been feeling the effects of that tackle when he inexplicably fumbled Max Evans' grubber-kick behind his line in the fifth minute. The Toulousain managed to ground the ball before Thom Evans closed in.

From the hosts' first foray forward, Scotland's scrum gave away a 13th-minute penalty which Beauxis screwed wide from 20 yards.

He made amends though in the 23rd minute, finding his range after Kelly Brown - on as an injury replacement for Jim Hamilton - infringed at a maul to break the deadlock.

Moments later, the Stade Francais pivot latched onto a stray Scotland pass and gave chase after hooking the ball into the visitors' half. A benign bounce and he would have been in for a try but he could not control 30 yards out and the chance was lost.

Les Bleus - backed by a fairly mute crowd - were having most of the ball but the Scots' defence was comfortably holding its own, although it was hardly riveting fare for the 80,000 crowd.

Godman slotted over a penalty against the run of play in the 34th minute to restore parity but after missing one immediately after, Beauxis bisected the posts with another to send the French into the interval with a slight advantage.

By that stage, Lievremont must have been concerned. His side had not created one try-scoring opportunity and Beauxis was proving far from reliable with the boot. Moreover, his senior prop Nicolas Mas had injured himself and did not re-emerge for the second half.

He need not have worried. Les Tricolores found gaps soon after the restart allowing Ouedraogo to score the game's opening try in the 45th minute.

It owed much to the work of Maxime Medard, who took Lionel Nallet's pass, cut in from the right and stood a neat pass up for the Montpellier flanker to barge over for a score Beauxis converted.

Godman made it 13-6 with his second successful penalty but Beauxis replied with one of his own four minutes later.

Mike Blair and John Barclay could not provide the finishing touch to a rapid counter-attack down the middle as Hadden's men sought to find a way back.

But their failings in the scrum resurfaced on the hour mark and Beauxis landed another penalty to put France further clear.

With time running out, Godman missed a penalty attempt but in the 70th minute he laid on an inside pass to Thom Evans, who sped clear to dive over.

Substitute Paterson converted and there were just six points in it, but Scotland's hopes evaporated when Beauxis kicked his fifth penalty, in the 74th minute, to seal victory.

Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 18 - 37 of 37

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  1. Hey Stephen. Your comments are neither big, nor clever,­ nor funny. I have been going to Edinburgh for the­ Scotland vs Wales games for 20 years: the Scots are­ infinitely more genuine and welcoming than you and your­ arrogant ilk.

    From Gez, on Mon 16 Feb 1:38PM

  2. ianmriley: Are you serious?? The ref was spot on with­ his decisions: Martin Johnson broadcast to the world­ and his dog that his game plan was to slow down and­ "spoil" Welsh possession (Doh!). That being­ so, then of course the ref is going to take a close­ look at how England were achieving their aims....and­ they were found to be cheating? What the feck did you­ expect him to do? Bow to Johnson's mind games­ ("oh, it's all a perception thing...we­ don't actually cheat!")

    Grow up.

    From Gez, on Mon 16 Feb 1:32PM

  3. Yahoo seem to prefer to allow abusive comments and­ inconsequential drivel to sensible comments. Yahoo to­ you Yahoo.

    From Rich T, on Sun 15 Feb 5:43PM

  4. I cant seem to post anything

    From ninja_king_returns, on Sun 15 Feb 1:16PM

  5. eh

    From ninja_king_returns, on Sun 15 Feb 1:15PM

  6. Scotland are rubbish and have been rubbish since they­ admitted to being rubbish when they fielded their­ rubbish side against New Zealand knowing that even­ their best rubbish side did not have a hope in hell. A­ sad day for Scotland the brave, O Gavin Hastings, where­ are ye now?

    From Tarquinius S, on Sun 15 Feb 12:22PM

  7. Re Comment 26, apart from being anachronistic you are­ wrong about one fact, Bell stole the idea for the­ telephone from the Italian Meucci, the courts ruled­ Meucci the official inventor in 2002.

    Why all of this­ racism towards the English? Rugby is a gentleman's­ game, still I hope. Leave these low-class comments to­ football fans and Australians please.

    From Tarquinius S, on Sun 15 Feb 12:13PM

  8. re comment 26..As I said in comment 14 , I have never­ heard such a load of @#$% come out of a race of human­ beings. re comment 25..I really want too, but I have­ some work to finish here. PS never seen so many ugly­ people in one country

    From laboca123, on Sun 15 Feb 12:08PM

  9. Why all the comments about England and Wales , it was a­ game between Scotland and France . Who cares about what­ Scotland invented, It has no bearing on this game. Pull­ your heads form your @#$% and talk about the game in­ question.

    From Dirty Rob, on Sat 14 Feb 9:38PM

  10. Scottish fans are the best in the world why? because­ nobody else has to watch as much RUBBISH as they do­ whether it is football or Rugby

    From GEORGE W, on Sat 14 Feb 8:26PM

  11. I have played and watched rugby union for 30 years.­ Despite what the commentators and the sudio experts­ say. That is possibly one of the worst refereeing games­ I have ever seen. The referee was totally one sided.­ Don't get me wrong Wales played some supurbe rugby,­ but England did their homework and frustrated Wales­ most of the game. There was a decision where England­ were given OFF SIDE, I have watched the replay several­ times and cannot see one England player off side. This­ resulted in a Wales Penalty and three points. I thougth­ England where excellent and there was literally nothing­ between the two teams. I feel that the final result was­ was down to the referees decisions. Biased I am not.­ Wales were caught off guard and thought they were­ going to walk it. What I am upset about are some of the­ decisions that the referee made. I would like him to,­ look at some of the decisions he made and explain. He­ can't. because they where obviousley wrong.

    From ian.mriley, on Sat 14 Feb 8:07PM

  12. I have played and watched rugby union for 30 years. I­ cannot understand why non of the commentators or anyone­ else cannot see the most one sided referee in the six­ nations or any other competiton.

    From ian.mriley, on Sat 14 Feb 7:29PM

  13. Why do british teams always find an excuse when they­ screw up. What do they mean "sluggish France"­ France beat Scotland hands down. so stop all these­ excuses

    From Godwin, on Sat 14 Feb 7:05PM

  14. labosca123, @#$% off back to england

    From D R, on Sat 14 Feb 6:34PM

  15. Mon the Welsh!! Being a proud scot there is nothing­ more satisfying then seeing the English being hammered!­ Then listening to all their lame excuses.

    From aiwylie, on Sat 14 Feb 6:28PM

  16. Eh.....rugby critique? where? Looks like much the same­ comments as when Andy Murray started to play quite well­ at tennis!What an absolute bunch of saddo's. Get a­ grip of those George Cross boxers and go take your­ racial prejudice somewhere more appropriate, like the­ football terraces! C'mon whoever the best team­ proves to be.....preferably on the same island as the­ rest of us!

    From dot, on Sat 14 Feb 6:10PM

  17. s hit on there faces

    From darren, on Sat 14 Feb 5:32PM

  18. once again the six nations come round and scotland­ screwed by dodgy refereing and touch judge's i used­ to think wayne barnes was one of the best young­ officials in the game but after today i'm not so­ sure.
    as for haddon he's just set us back 5 years­ with stupid team selections coz lets face facts godman­ and blair are just loose baggage that would make most­ school teams and apologies to any school kids on this­ site!
    time for haddon to get it right or get out!!!!!!

    From jc297, on Sat 14 Feb 5:28PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    hahahahah the ginger skirt wearing girlie jocks got yet­ another beating it must be embarrassing moment to be a­ jock at this time everyones getting in on the act of­ @#$%ting the jocks hahahahahah

    From stephen, on Sat 14 Feb 5:25PM

  20. frog trips jock , surely a yellow , no only the english­ team are given yellows by this bunch of refs

    From gary.staveley1, on Sat 14 Feb 5:04PM
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