Scotland’s brave fight to get back after a calamitious first quarter in Paris fell short as France ended their comeback bid at the death.
Red cards for either side in the first ten minutes maybe even helped make it a thrilling contest, but the catalogue of disasters that befell the Scots early on gave France too much of a head start.
The home side scored a point a minute to be 19-0 ahead, but the Scots definitely had the better of the next 40 minutes.
Resilience after dreadful start
Not our day in Paris. #AsOne pic.twitter.com/isGYI0bmxp
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 26, 2023
They showed admirable resilience to wrench themselves back into the game. Had they been as clinical as against England and Wales they might have even produced an all-time recovery.
Two Huw Jones tries and one from Finn Russell – who gave up an ultimately a costly intercept try – got the Scots to within four points with ten minutes left. But France slammed the door shut with their fourth try from Gael Fickou in the dying seconds.
It was maybe something of a reality check for Scotland after the euphoria of the two wins to start the Six Nations. But they had France wobbling at times and but for some avoidable errors would surely have been even closer.
The first twenty minutes of the contest at a chilly Stade had everything. But it all – bar one incident – went France’s way and helped them to what seemed an unassailable early lead.
A Hogg knock-on stalled a promising early Scottish attack. But it was a thunderous hit on van der Merwe by Anthony Jelonch to win a penalty that got France motoring.
They got their big forwards thundering forward with ominous effect after kicking into the 22. Eventually Romain Ntamack had an easy stroll over for a try beyond a stretched Scottish defence. Tomas Ramos converted.
Two red cards in quick succession
France prop Mohamed Haouas becomes the first player to be sent off twice in the Six Nations Championships. 🟥🇫🇷https://t.co/KaJ8TwQv81
— Ruck Rugby🏉 (@RuckRugby) February 26, 2023
It went from bad to worse at the restart, as Grant Gilchrist’s shoulder made clear and forceful contact to Jelonch’s face as the Frenchman carried out. The TMO consultation confirmed the veteran lock had to be shown the red card.
France went straight up the field, the Scots didn’t cope with a bouncing ball and the French moved it wide for Ethan Durmortier to score in the corner.
But the Scots got a lifeline back into the game after this disastrous start, and from a familiar source.
They were driving an attacking maul that was stalled at the line. Then Mohamed Haouas, sent off three years ago against Scotland in Edinburgh, came charging through for a reckless head-on-head hit to Ben White.
Georgian ref Nika Amashukeli needed some convincing by his assistants and the TMO official, but eventually made the right decision for another red.
But bad things continued to happen for Scotland. Zander Fagerson spilled the ball stretching for the line and then a flat Russell pass was intercepted by Ramos and returned for a third French try he converted himself.
The stand-off bounced back almost immediately ghosting through a gap, but van der Merwe was thumped into touch by Paul Willemse when he seemed set to score.
Scotland had a penalty advantage, though, and Russell’s smart short pass sent Huw Jones through a gap to get them on the scoreboard after 26 minutes.
Scotland wavered a bit again, Hogg’s turnover stemming the tide briefly before Ramos kicked a penalty when Matt Fagerson infringed on the deck.
They then had another good series of attacking phases by George Turner fumbled at the base of a ruck when they seemed to have the French stretched.
A mountain to climb, but…
It was always going to be this man…@finn_russell touches down to get @Scotlandteam right back in this. #FRAvSCO pic.twitter.com/VpqeYNvo8a
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 26, 2023
With a mountain to climb in the second half, Scotland at least got to the foothills. Penalties started to come against France and smart work by Tuipoulotu allowed Jones to wriggle over for his second try. Russell converted.
Scotland then twice got into the 22 to get even closer, but couldn’t control at the vital moment. Jones and Tuipulotu’s understanding let them down, and then the Scots were much too reckless trying to keep the ball alive.
But a great tackle from Ben White and Jones on Dumortier saved a try, but Ramos kicked a penalty to stretch France out to 25-14.
Yet Scotland kept coming had a clear advantage. They replaced their front row and quickly had an ascendancy.
From a five-metre scrum forced by Hogg’s kick-chase, France were wavering and Russell sniped in for Scotland’s third try, adding the conversion to take it to 25-21 with 10 minutes left.
But a poor lineout routine on halfway allowed France to camp in their 22 for the crucial final moments. Even though Scotland defended stoutly, they only regained possession in the shadow of their own posts and were then penalised trying to desperately break out.
France could have kicked Scotland out of sight, but instead they attacked again and Fickou broke through for the clinching score.
Teams
France: Tomas Ramos (Toulouse), Damian Penaud (Clermont-Ferrand), Gaël Fickou Racing 92), Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux), Ethan Dumortier (Lyon); Romain Ntamack (Toulouse), Antoine Dupont (Toulouse, capt); Cyril Baille (Toulouse), Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Mohamed Haouas (Montpellier); Thibaud Flament (Toulouse), Paul Willemse (Bordeaux); Anthony Jelonch (Toulouse), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle).
Replacements: Gaëtan Barlot (Castres for Marchand 70), Reda Wardi (La Rochelle for Baille 63), Sipili Falatea (Bordeaux for Alldritt 13), Romain Taofifenua (Lyon for Willemse 53), François Cros (Toulouse for Jelonch 25), Sekou Macalou (Stade Francais), Baptiste Couilloud (Lyon), Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux for Ntamack 69).
Scotland: Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs); Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan Van der Merwe (Edinbrgh); Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ben White (London Irish); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors); Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh); Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh, capt), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors for Turner 64), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors for Schoeman 64), WP Nel (Edinburgh for Z Fagerson 64), Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs for Watson 11), Sam Skinner (Edinburgh for R Gray 72), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors for M Fagerson 58), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors for White 58), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh for Steyn 70).
Ref: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)