Scotland’s Grand Slam dreams hit the rocks on a chaotic afternoon against France in Paris – but they deserve some credit from fighting their way back into the contest from 19-0 down after 20 minutes.
It was an action-packed encounter with two red cards in the first 11 minutes and seven tries scored overall. Finn Russell’s try on 67 minutes made it a four-point game – but France managed to regain their composure with Gael Fickou barging over the line to claim the bonus point for the hosts in the final play of the contest.
Scotland will draw some confidence from their spirited display but know that they will have to be a lot more accurate when Grand Slam chasing Ireland pitch up at Murrayfield in a fortnight’s time. It took France just four minutes to open the scoring, by squeezing a penalty out of Duhan van der Merwe for holding onto the ball on the deck then working through several powerful phases before space opened up on the left for Roman Ntamack to bustle over.
It went from bad to disaster for Scotland just two minutes later when Grant Gilchrist challenged Anthony Jelonch high with his shoulder making contact with the French flanker’s jaw. Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli asked for a replay on the big screen and after viewing it from several angles decided it was a red-card offence.
Gilchrist – a true gentleman of the game – was inconsolable as he made his way from the pitch. France took immediate advantage of the extra man, marching downfield and engineering an overlap on the left for Ntamack to send Ethan Dumortier over for try number two. It looked like the writing was already on the wall for the visitors, but they dug deep and battled their way into a promising position five yards from the French line.
And when Mohamed Haouas flew round the side of the ruck and clashed heads with Ben White, the Television Match Official was once again called into action. The verdict was the same, with the French prop being sent for an early bath – just as he was back in 2020 when he was red-carded for throwing a wild punch at Jamie Ritchie.
Zander Fagerson thought he’d got Scotland off the mark when he peeled out of a maul and stretched for the line – but came up just short. Instead, France got try number three when Thomas Ramos picked off a loose Russell pass to Kyle Steyn and trotted home from 60-yards unchallenged. It had been a whirlwind first 20 minutes.
Scotland really should have scored when Russell ghosted through midfield and the supporting Sione Tuipulotiu generated a quick recycle. But the passing between White, Pierre Schoeman and Jamie Ritchie was laboured allowing the French defence to get across and squeeze van der Merwe into touch.
Scotland came close again when the rumbled a maul over the French line but this time they couldn’t get the ball to ground. There was no sloppiness in the Scots attack a few minutes later when another powerful maul sucked in France’s defence before Russell sent Huw Jones under the posts.
Ramos kept the French side of the scoreboard ticking over with a 36th minute penalty, awarded against Matt Fagerson for hands in a ruck. Scotland need to strike first at the start of the second half and they did just that with Jones getting on the scoresheet again – the centre finishing off a sweeping attack which he’d initiated with a lung-busting midfield break.
It took some great defensive work from White to stop Dumortier scoring in the corner – but France kept the pressure on, and Ramos kicked his second penalty of the afternoon.
As the second half wore on, Scotland began to dominate proceedings – and when Russell scurried over the line with 13 minutes to go, then nailed the touchline conversion, it reduced the deficit to just four points. But that was as close as they got – and that last-minute Fickou sealed the win and the bonus point for the hosts.
3 talking points
Gilchrist red card
The red-carding of Grant Gilchrist after just six minutes was harsh but the correct call given the way referees are now instructed to deal with high tackles – but it could have killed the game stone dead. Fortunately, French hot head Mohamed Haouas got himself sent off just five minutes later to even things up.
Russell on the edge
Finn Russell plays on the edge, which means there will be calamities from time to time, such as the wild interception which handed France their third try – but the stand-off’s ability to meet with triumph and disaster and treat those imposters just the same mean that you can never write Scotland off when he is on the park. His role in helping the visitors fight their way back from 19-0 down after 20 minutes to end up losing narrowly demonstrated that.
Jones shows his class
Huw Jones is a class act with his two tries in this match taking his tally to 15 in 34 caps. People still question his defence but on the evidence of this Six nations so far, that is not a problem.
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