6N 2018: Scotland v France, 11th February

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SCOTLAND v FRANCE
11 February 2018
KO: 15:00 GMT
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Live on [BBC Jockland]

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant 1: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant 2: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)

A. Head to Head

91 Played 91
35 Won 53
3 Drawn 3
53 Lost 35
1,118 Points 1,302

B. Recent Form

8 March 2014
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
17 – 19 to France

7 February 2015
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
15 – 8 to France

5 September 2015
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
19 – 16 to France

13 March 2016
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
29 – 18 to Scotland

12 February 2017
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
22 – 16 to France

C. Teams

SCOTLAND 

Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Peter Horne (all Glasgow), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Finn Russell (Glasgow), Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne); Gordon Reid (London Irish), Stuart McInally, Simon Berghan, Grant Gilchrist (all Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Glasgow), John Barclay (Scarlets, capt), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow).

Replacements: Scott Lawson (Newcastle), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow), Jon Welsh (Newcastle), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh), Dave Denton (Worcester), Ali Price (Glasgow), Chris Harris (Newcastle), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh).

FRANCE


Palis; Thomas, Doumayrou, Lamerat, Vakatawa; Beauxis, Machenaud; Poirot, Guirado, Slimani, Itturia, Vahaamahina , Lauret , Tauleigne.

Replacements: Pelissie, Ben Arous, Gomes Sa, Gabrillagues, Serin, Belleau, Fall.

***


What is worse? Getting utterly thrashed by a rampant Welsh team away from home, when everyone (except the Welsh clearly) saw Scotland as the up and coming team about to do great things in this tournament; or to lose a game with a drop goal on the last kick of the game to an Irish team who had just kept the ball for 31 phases!

Answers on a postcard please!

The truth is neither scenario is a good one and it is hard to guess how they will play on the minds of the respective teams over the coming week.

The good thing is that in the 6N, redemption is potentially only a game away and both teams have another chance at it this coming weekend.

Both teams look like they will have to make significant changes, France due to injury and Scotland because they were so cr*p yesterday. How that will pan out on the game is anyone's guess.

I am not however expecting to hear to many optimistic noises coming from the Scotland camp or their fans and media this week. Let us go back to being the underdogs, it seems to be the only mindset that can get us to play well!

Why drop them?
They were interviewed as witnesses, and for an allegation which was later dropped.

I suspect there was more to the story - just because they were not arrested doesn't mean they don't have a disciplinary case to answer.

Where's all the young folks who frequent Edinburgh's nightclubs who may know the story?

I assume that the comparison between French women and Scottish wummin was shocking enough for the French players.

Probably: I'm about 15 years and 300 miles away from that time and place.

The nightclub owner gives the French team a clean bill of health, however, L'Equipe have reported that 2 French players turned up with a face full of mystery bruises

"Reste que deux joueurs, Arthur Iturria et Geoffrey Palis sont apparus le matin à l'aéroport avec des ecchymoses au visage qu'ils n'avaient pas la veille au sortir du match."

I suspect it was because they should not have been going out on the bevy after badly running out of gas and losing the match. Let alone what they got up to once they hit the town.

Alcohol and rugby players, whatever could possibly go wrong?

Certainly does not give the impression of a very professional team and with all the other stuff that is going on in French rugby, not what was required at all. Very embarrassing all round, even with no-one actually getting charged with anything.

Yes the ones suspended are the ones who stayed really late as far as I understand

RDW_Scotland wrote:I suspect there was more to the story - just because they were not arrested doesn't mean they don't have a disciplinary case to answer.

Where's all the young folks who frequent Edinburgh's nightclubs who may know the story?

Well you see...that's the problem.  Rumour is that they were eaten by the French players to cover up the evidence.

But nobody worry too much.  Alain Rolland is due to make his judgement on the incident in the next few hours.