France vs Scotland (Dewch ymlaen Yr Alban!)

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France vs Scotland

Stade de France
Friday 26th of March 2021
KO: 20:00
Referee: Wayne "Barnesy" Barnes (England)
TV Coverage: Live on BBC

Teams

France
15-Brice Dulin, 14-Damian Penaud, 13-Virimi Vakatawa, 12-Arthur Vincent, 11-Gael Fickou, 10-Romain Ntamack, 9-Antoine Dupont; 1-Cyril Baille, 2- Julien Marchand, 3-Mohamed Haouas, 4- Bernard Le Roux, 5-Swan Rebbadj, 6-Anthony Jelonch, Charles Ollivon (capt), 8-Gregory Alldritt.

Replacements: 16-Camille Chat, 17-Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18-Uini Atonio, 19-Romain Taofifenua, 20-Dylan Cretin, 21-Baptiste Serin, 22-Anthony Bouthier, 23-Teddy Thomas.

Scotland
15-Stuart Hogg (capt), 14-Darcy Graham, 13-Chris Harris, 12-Sam Johnson, 11-Duhan van der Merwe, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ali Price; 1-Rory Sutherland, 2-George Turner, 3-Zander Fagerson, 4-Sam Skinner, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 6-Jamie Ritchie, 7-Hamish Watson, 8-Matt Fagerson

Replacements: 16-Dave Cherry, 17-Oli Kebble, 18-Simon Berghan, 19-Alex Craig, 20-Nick Haining, 21-Scott Steele, 22-Adam Hastings, 23-Huw Jones

The fate of Welsh rugby being in Scottish hands is the big talking point after a dramatic and gut wrenching end to Wales Grand Slam hopes. You can read about all the possible title winning scenarios by following this link >>> https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/2021/03/21/scenarios-how-the-guinness-six-nations-title-will-be-decided-by-france-v-scotland/

Scotland

It's a tournament that started so promisingly. A chance of winning a 6N title, ultimately coming down to a tap tackle on DVDM against Wales. Had Scotland won that match and gained 5 points with a BP last gasp score, Scots fans could have been tuning in to watch their team fight it out with France for the title themselves this weekend, even after losing to Ireland at home.

For Scottish fans it is still a crucial match for the following reasons...

The opportunity for Scotland to finish 2nd for the first time in Six Nations history (Our best result being 3rd in 2001, 2006, 2013 and 2018)

The possibility of a first away win to France since 1999

Scottish Lions selection

And on a secondary note, a good win could put Hogg in contention for Player of the Championship for a third time (equalling Brian O'Driscoll's record).

Stats from the 2021 Six Nations

https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/overview/?FixGuid=20FS4243#overview

France and Scotland have very similar statistics after four matches played. Both teams have scored 15 tries a piece, both have made a similar amount of line breaks and scrums and turnovers won. France have a slightly higher return rate per visit to the opposition 22 than Scotland do and nine more dominant tackles. Scotland have a better defensive record with less tackles missed.

We should probably put a list up of the various names for HighlandShaun - or best done by PM so as to continue to baffle whatsisface?

Congratulations on the Scottish win, but how disappointing are France? Like a lot of their past teams this one just don’t seem to have the mentality to win a competition. I was reliably informed that they had pencilled in the next RWC – but no chance. Beaten by a struggling England. And throwing away a perfectly acceptable win to Scotland. For them the championship was long gone by the death, but show some pride (and professionalism) and take the win at home fgs. At 81 minutes, 3 points up, on their own 5m line - boot the ball out and go for a drink.

It's a false dawn for France at the moment. All the signs were there in 2020 that they're still mentally weak but not many people wanted to hear it. They can improve though, there's still a lot of room for growth. They can learn to win between now and 2023 but they really have to start by winning the 2022 six nations. I wouldn't read too much in to that final game for either side. It's fair to say Scotland were incredibly fortuitous with their tries, not for the first time in the championship, and France gave up in the last 10 minutes to the point they forgot it was a good idea to just win the game even if they couldn't win the tournament. They've had 3 chances to win the 3 trophies since the 2019 world cup and they've shown mental weakness all 3 times. This year was probably their best showing as Banes really did give them an uphill battle but Barnes didn't botch the lineout before half time, Barnes didn't fail to give the try scoring pass to the winger while Hogg was off the pitch. However unlikely a 22 point margin of victory was, France had the opportunity to be 10-20 points up with 45 minutes played in this game and they failed. They have to learn how to win, what it really takes, otherwise it's going to be a typical France in 2023.

Who is Waldorf and who is Sadler?

I don’t have tash if that makes a difference

But aye, I’ve been referring to young mbawsa since he came on the scene at the library

Someone has definitely called his stoutness the good ship grimpleton. My apologies if it wasn’t a jimboism, it does certainly sound like one of yours.

Lastly, I didn’t need to remember to put the clock forward last night gramps. I have a smart phone and it does it automatically. The central heating also does it itself. I’m up on all the new tech coz I’m a Gen X/millennial. Not part of the the baby boomer brigade with all yer wind up watches and grandfather clocks

Ps I didn’t need to move the clock forward on the oven as it had been wrong for the last 6 months. Now it’s back to being correct.

tigertattie wrote:Who is Waldorf and who is Sadler?

I don’t have tash if that makes a difference

But aye, I’ve been referring to young mbawsa since he came on the scene at the library

Someone has definitely called his stoutness the good ship grimpleton. My apologies if it wasn’t a jimboism, it does certainly sound like one of yours.

Lastly, I didn’t need to remember to put the clock forward last night gramps. I have a smart phone and it does it automatically. The central heating also does it itself. I’m up on all the new tech coz I’m a Gen X/millennial. Not part of the the baby boomer brigade with all yer wind up watches and grandfather clocks

Ps I didn’t need to move the clock forward on the oven as it had been wrong for the last 6 months. Now it’s back to being correct.

In countless studies, wind up watches correlate to male virility.  The more you wind, the more you bind.

Ian Brew referred to Nick Grigg as being a pocket battleship..in fact a Battleship Griggtempkin. This was a blatant attempt to make us think he had stayed awake through Sergei Eisensteine's masterpiece Battleship Potemkin.of course that was in the days before he got loved up.Now he spends all his time restoring the plaster work on the Hagia Sophia .." Those cracks won't fill themselves" were his exact words.
Changing the clock was no hassle; resiting the sundial was a bugger.

Ahhhh how I miss the Hagia Sophia

I mean bru. I miss bru

tigertattie wrote:Ahhhh how I miss the Hagia Sophia

I mean bru. I miss bru

I used to know a hag named Sophia. I liked Bru better. Can't get that here.