Scotland and France took the field at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on a sunny and dry spring morning, promising a feast of attacking rugby. Nobody predicted thirteen tries and France getting so nonplussed that Antoine Dupont threw a massive forward pass in his own in-goal area.
France were in with a chance of clinching the tournament (but not the trophy, which was destroyed in an accident last week) a week early. Perhaps in expectation, the pre-match atmosphere felt distinctly Gallic with a rumoured 15,000 French fans travelling to Scotland. Happily both sets of fans were in full voice as the game kicked off.
Finn Russell’s opening clearance off the restart was to attempt a high clearance kick in his own 22, luckily Scotland were able to regather, but it did not suggest that the afternoon was going to be easy on the heart rate. As it turns out it was almost enjoyable.
After a cagey opening three or four minutes Scotland managed to make good territory, without really looking like they were breaking France down. A Huw Jones line brea and some nifty offloading in behind the line (as well as some deceptively ropey handling) meant with a lucky bounce of the ball between Russell and Darcy Graham for the second week running put the winger over for the game’s opening try.
The other D’arcy, Rae, was picked to start ahead of Zander Ferguson perhaps to the surprise of some but Townsend insisted it was for set-piece reasons. Certainly the first two scrums earned Scotland a free kick and a penalty from referee Angus Gardner.
France were never going to sit still and after a few passages of play in which they were uncharacteristically un-French they were still able to force play deep into Scotland’s half. As Scotland were making what should have been an easy exit from a scrum on their own line, somehow the ball was stripped from Tuipulotu in contact by Dupont, France spun possession wide to Louis Bielle-Biarrey in the corner.
The next try followed hot on the heels with the French wingers combining to collect a nice grubber (an LBB special) after Scotland were exposed in the wide channels behind Blair Kinghorn and Darcy Graham. The frustrating thing for Scotland was that it came from fairly needless penalty at the other end of the pitch that in turn had come from Scotland kicking away possession a few phases before. The French fans were starting to feel more relaxed; business as usual.
Conscious of the possibility for momentum to slip away at 7-14 down, Scotland eschewed 3 points with a reasonably kickable penalty for a lineout in the corner and then astounded Murrayfield with a move straight off the training ground.
France didn’t defend the lineout but were expecting the maul. Scotland popped it to Turner who switched it to Kyle Steyn coming in at almost 45 degree angle and he made a beeline straight for the corner, where he was almost unopposed. It was a stunning try and a reminder that both sides here were capable of excellent attacking rugby. Shaun Edwards won’t have been as happy as the home crowd.
Nobody told Scotland that this was supposed to be a coronation, as they kept the pressure up in the first half; a third try coming through Pierre Schoeman after a series of close range batters. It looked like Finn may have got it grounded first, but the Scottish loosehead eventually got the ball down. The French had already been warned for niggly infringements when play was going against them, and Jalibert was duly sent to the bin after the try, giving Scotland a man advantage.
Interestingly after 38 minutes or so Rae was adjudged to have run his race and given his team a good solid set piece platform, so he went off to be replaced by Zander Fagerson in some sort of pre-half time bomb squad. The first scrum after that, France won a penalty but shell-shocked, opted not to play further and kicked it out to end the half.
Half-time: Scotland 19-14 France
If there were any signs of anxiety, Scotland did not show it, coming out and scoring almost immediately France were restored to 15 men. Ben White picked from the base and scampered round the ruck, finding it unguarded, and securing an extremely early bonus point for Scotland to make it 26-14.
This was an all hands-on deck type of effort for Scotland. Finn Russell had to deputize at scrum-half a few times because players were committed everywhere on the park in an effort to restrain France, who by the 46 minute mark had still not truly cut loose. As Angus Gardner’s arm was raised to blow up yet another penalty for Scotland (the final count was something like 4-10), even Antoine Dupont looked a little dejected.
It’s not that France were bad – their defence was incredibly physical, with Scotland’s pack struggling to make big holes – it’s just that Scotland were sharp enough to capitalise almost every time.
It was one of those days where luck was just on Scotland’s side. Finn Russell looked to have misjudged by a starting a game of kick tennis with the French back three, but then Ben White snaffled Dupont in the act of passing and the ball instead popped up into into a space which Kyle Steyn gratefully filled, snatching the ball and running it in for Scotland’s fifth try.
It was dreamland as Scotland opened up and scored tries six and seven through Darcy Graham and Tom Jordan who came off the bench very effectively for Jones. Scotland’s previous record points haul against France was 36. This record was smashed.
France scored a length of the field effort themselves to remind the tournament that bonus points and points different were still in play for next weekend. Steyn went off injured but it was for a gash on his leg and he should be fit next weekend.
It was an oddly muted final 15 minutes as despite a thumping win, the hosts visibly wilted with the effort and France finally showed a little of their magic. The drop off was not enough to lose, but enough to concede a try bonus point to France and let them eat away at the healthy points difference they had accrued.
Scotland go to Dublin in search of the tournament and the triple crown, for the first time. They will need England to do them a favour in Paris next weekend, and also overcome Ireland for the first time in more than a decade.
But finally we can say it: Scotland have a chance to win the Six Nations
SRBlog Player of the Match: Kyle Steyn was everywhere, and has quietly become one of the best wingers in Europe. Well-rounded in attack and defence, great under the high ball. We need him fit to face Ireland.
17 responses
great performance that – shame about last few minutes, but that was the best we have played for years
Wouldn’t let the last few minutes diminish the result, the players were exhausted by then and France were never going to win .They were reduced to throwing the ball about like an amateur sevens team.
More concerned by the hand contact by the French player to Ashmans face.Suspect to say the least and not highlighted by the TMO. Could have had a material effect on the bonus point the French got
Shameful eye gouge should have been a red card . TMO needs to be sacked in order to protect players in future games .
Well done Scotland for shaking up the world .
I was lucky enough to be in Stade de France in 1999 for the 22-36 win. Lucky also to have been at Twickenham in 2023 when we came back from 12-20 to retain the Calcutta Cup. Watched this one on tv, and I think that the first 25 minutes of the second half featured the best rugby I’ve ever seen us play, live or on tv. Absolutely stunned France after coming back from 7-14 in the first half and they had no answer except to play Sevens for the final ten minutes.
A heroic, skilful and powerful performance against a team who’ve smashed Ireland and Wales and who eventually overpowered a very good Italy side.
Have we ever put 50 points past France? I don’t think so.
Great day for Scottish Test rugby.
Edit: the comeback from 31-0 at Twickenham in 2019 was pretty epic, too tbh.
Most was 36 points previously I believe.
What a game! Brilliant performance all round. The accuracy, intensity and confidence were best ive ever seen. Felt like we were watching the All Blacks at times.
Well done Gregor, you pulled it off. Can we do something in Dublin, i think it’ll be tougher, not least because the Irish always work the ref well, we’ll need to be our absolute best, but it’s clearly possible.
Ireland also have an extra days rest
What a majestic day. My new debit card didn’t work at Ladbrokes for a double on Scotland and Italy, but watching both win outweighs the dosh lost. Fantasy land. And, like Tom English, I have mea culpas to offer as Townsend triumphed and Turner threw 100%.
Despite the chronic physical ineptitude of Kinghorn again, Murrayfield today was a victory of psychology. This team finally now believes. In itself, in its capabilities. That’s down to the slow alchemy of Townsend’s coaching – and tribute to him for finally heaving himself out of the gutter of redeploying weak favourites and leaving bench power too late. Whether that was nudged by the growls of others, it’s been rewarded by results.
France will eat England like snails next weekend. And will deservedly top the table. But we can and must defeat our 9-year tally of losses against Ireland since 2017. It’s all in the head. And Kyle Rowe at 15. Second place seemed phantasmagorical in the puddles of Rome. Ours now for the taking.
Just watched the game again and,yes Kyle steyn given MOM but Ben White was awesome
Well that was unexpected. I think most Scotland fans thought we could play like that but it seemed more like a hope rather than something we thought would ever happen.
Imagine if we played like that every week…
Can’t blame the players but it is a shame about France getting 3 tries in the last 10 mins as it means their points difference is likely to win them the title even if we beat Ireland.
I just hope we don’t have the same physical and emotional come down next week after that match that we saw in Cardiff after the England win.
My prediction from weeks ago is turning out to be scarily correct. We beat England comfortably, squeak a win against Wales, somehow manage to beat France. All we need to do now is finally get the Irish monkey off our backs and lose the 6N because we were crap against Italy.
The last few weeks have put a bit of perspective to it, Italy are a different prospect now and losing that game isn’t as outrageous as it was at the time.
I didn’t imagine in my wildest dreams the magnitude of the win and performance against France though. For once everything was correct from the tactics through to the execution. As good as France are they aren’t a team I have feared, we can and have beaten them in the recent past, they play a pretty similar game to us. Compared to the likes of our bogey teams like Ireland and South Africa who seem to be able to bully us and strangle the life out the game. It’s like we accepted that we’re not going to stop France from scoring we just need to make sure that we score more.
I really hope that letting France get that try bonus point doesn’t come back to bite us on the arse. I was raging yesterday and felt it took the shine off an otherwise magnificent performance, but having rewatched the game today I think the guys were out on their feet by that time and two of them were just outstanding French play.
I was at the game yesterday and that’s one of the best atmospheres in Murrayfield I’ve experienced.
I suspect the clearances by Russell into the sun, was a smart Townshend tactic – to either make them difficult to gather or contestable. I think this worked on a couple of occasions I believe.
Dont cry for us Argentina,the truth is we need to thank you…kinda.
Honestly feel like that was the moment the whole thing clicked into place for this generation of players. Maybe we hoped it would be sooner, and we certainly hope we can reach that level again, but it was great to finally put in the kind of performance we knew we were capable of.
Like everyone else, I was pretty wary before the match. What gave me a measure of confidence was seeing France pick a mobile second row, instead of the hulking monsters they have at their disposal. I honestly think that played right into our hands. And you could see the difference when Meafou came on to give an extra bit of ballast (daft penalty aside). The moan about the dressing room was also weird, and hinted that France may well be in the mood to France.
Not to labour the point, but was really disappointed to see the ref and TMO botch the gouging situation. There really is no dirtier act in rugby and I hope Jegou gets a lengthy suspension (he won’t, just like Etzebeth).
Sad to hear Cummings and Brown will be out for the Ireland game. I don’t think its any coincidence that our pack have had far more bite this year with them playing. Gilchrist IMO is a bit like the Gray brothers, a safe pair of hands but a bit soft, lacking in BQ if you will. That combined with the likes of Rory Darge being back at his best after IMO a season or so of being quite lacklustre has made all the difference. He or Kyle Steyn would be my pick for our player of the tournament and there are quite a few that can put their hands up for that accolade!
I agree Cummings & Brown will both be a big loss, I’ve never been a fan of Gilchrist, he’s very ponderous & doesn’t do anything dynamic but I think Townsend will keep him in. Alex Craig has been playing well recently so he must have a chance, going with Bayliss in the second row would be a big gamble against a powerful Irish pack, although I would put Bayliss at No.6 instead of Fagerson, he’s a better ball carrier. I would also like to see Kyle Rowe at fullback, he’s in great form. I thought Kinghorn was very poor defensively against France, he really doesn’t like tackling, he would never have made the tremendous effort Steyn did trying to stop Dupont’s try. At France’s second try he ran alongside the French backs & made absolutely no attempt at a tackle, I think Ireland will target him, Farrell knows he can’t defend.
Pretty strong argument to say that Cummings is now our most important player, given the drop off in quality of any pure second row replacements. Not including Brown in that because he can pack down in the second or back row. Both will be a massive loss against Ireland and it could well be where the game is won or lost.