FOR all the frustration Scotland will feel after losing this compelling contest to a 78th minute Thomas Ramos penalty, they will regard this game as a huge positive step in their penultimate World Cup warm-up match before the main event kicks-off in four weeks’ time.
Gregor Townsend’s side battled their way back from 17 points down midway through the second half to somehow draw equal with three minutes to go. They could even have taken the lead had Finn Russell been successful with his touchline conversion of Kyle Steyn’s 72nd minute try, but the playmaker pulled it to the right of the posts.
The Scots initially did a pretty good job of quietening the raucous home support, dominating the first three minutes with a long passage of continuity play, and a brilliant cross-field kick from Finn Russell almost released Duhan van der Merwe on the right. The big winger couldn’t quite get away, but the Scots held onto possession and managed to secure an offside penalty, which was sent to the corner in a departure to last week’s strategy when a similar opportunity was turned into three points.
The visiting teams’ bold approach was rewarded because the ball was won cleanly at the tail of the line-out, the maul sucked in the French pack and when the ball went wide, Blair Kinghorn did well to scoop Huw Jones’ loose pass off his bootlaces before sending Kyle Steyn over on the corner.
Russell added the tricky conversion, before exchanging ruck penalties with Thomas Ramos to make it 10-3 to the visitors with 11 breathless minutes played.
While that match 16 years ago was played under a blanket of rain which limited attacking endeavour from both teams, the conditions last night were nearly perfect for attacking rugby, and both sides showed their willingness to make full use of the bone-dry conditions from the very start.
However, it was French tight power which got them into the match, pulverising Scotland in a series of scrums and line-out mauls deep inside the visiting 22 to pick up a sequence of penalties, leading to a word in the ear for captain Jamie Ritchie from referee Nic Berry.
The Scots will have been relieved to escape with the concession of just three points from that period of pressure after France somewhat surprisingly opted to go for the sticks when they got a ruck penalty just five yards from the try-line.
Ali Price was yellow-cared for not retiring 10 yards before tackling Antoine Dupont as he ran a quick tap-penalty and France capitalised by scoring just two minutes later when Romain Ntamack darted over to make 13-10 at the break.
There was no relief when the game resumed. Pierre Schoeman fumbled an easy pass straight from the kick-off, handing France possession from which Damian Penaud darted over for his team’s second try.
Two minutes later, Ramos streaked up the left touchline following a quick French line-out and then sent a pass inside for Charles Ollivon, who skipped effortlessly past last man Russell on his way to the line.
Ntamack thought he had scored again but the Television Match Official ruled that he had knocked on as he dived on Penaud’s kick ahead.
Frustration at that ruling ended up being the least of the French playmaker’s worries because he picked up an ankle injury a few minutes later and limped off the field. All of France will collectively cross their fingers and pray that this does not curtail his World Cup involvement.
Then that unlikely Scottish comeback began just after the hour mark when a Huw Jones break set up a van der Merwe try on the left, although Russell couldn’t manage the touchline conversion.
Scotland struck again when Russell ran a quick-tap to just a few yards from the line, and Darge rumbled over from close range. Russell’s conversion made it a five-point game with just over 10 minutes to go.
French winger Gabin Villière created an opportunity to kill the game off himself with a powerful run, but a thunderous hit from Ollie Smith just short if the line dislodged the ball and Scotland lived to fight another day.
Not only did they survive but Scotland worked their way all the way up the park to score again with Russell and Kinghorn making good ground up the middle of the before and George Horne sent an inch-perfect kick up the right touchline which sent Steyn over.
Russell’s touchline conversion would have given Scotland the lead, but he pulled it to the left of the posts.
Then came Ramos’ later killer-blow.
Teams – France: T Ramos; D Penaud, G Fickou, J Danty, G Villiere; E Ntamack (L Bielle-Biarrey 55), A Dupont © (M Lucu 68); C Baille (J Gros 49), J Marchand (P Bourgarit 50), D Aldegheri (U Atonio 50), C Woki, T Flament (B Chalureau 63), P Boudehent, C Ollivon (S Macalou 63), G Alldritt (F Verhaeghe 67). Scotland: D Kinghorn; K Steyn, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, D van der Merwe (O Smith 63); F Russell, A Price (G Horne 55); P Schoeman (R Sutherland 55), G Turner (S McInally 55), W Nel (J Sebastian 55), R Gray ( S Cummings, 65), G Gilchrist (S Skinner 55), J Ritchie ©, R Darge, J Dempsey (J Bayliss 73).
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Scorer – France: Try: Ntamack, Penaud, Ollivon; Con: Ramos 3; Pen: Ramos 2 Scotland: Try: Steyn 2, van der Merwe, Drage; Con: Russell 3; Pen: Russell.
Yellow cards – Scotland: Price (29mins)
