Scotland v France

79

Huge chance!

Kyle Rowe so nearly wins it.

An amazing break in midfield from the winger 60 metres out, and he sprints for the left corner before being halted less than 10 metres short. But he spills it as he hits the deck, and France will scrum down on our left wing.

80

Held up with the last play?

Unbelievable.

Finn steals the ball back after the scrum, and Scotland’s forwards charge for the line.

Dempsey thinks he’s grounded it, but the referee gives held up. We’re going to the TMO.

What an ending we’re away to have.

77

16-20

Scotland now need a try.

FT

Held up

Wow.

The ball looks to be on the ground, but because the referee had said his on-field decision was no try, and there was no conclusive evidence that the ball was being grounded, the held up decision stands.

And that’s it. The cruellest of endings for Scotland.

What else is there to say? We’ll see you in two weeks when we take on England.

77

Redpath for Jones

Midfield change, Cameron Redpath replaces Huw Jones.

76

Another penalty

Hepburn joins the maul from the side after the lineout. Ramos has a chance to kick France into a four-point lead. It’s 20 metres out, just right of the posts.

75

Penalty at the lineout

Scotland play the jumper in the air. France kick the penalty to just outside our 22.

73

Chloe tells us what it’s gonna take…

As we enter the final 10 minutes, it is all to play for at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.

Scotland international, Chloe Rollie gives us her insight on what she thinks it’s going to take for Scotland to retake the lead and close out the game with a win:

“We need to keep playing in the right areas. We are putting France under pressure and forcing mistakes but we need to be consistent.”

73

Scottish lineout

We kick off, and France exit.

It’s our lineout on France’s 22, on our left.

74

France lineout, and a lock swap

France steal it, and there’s another kicking exchange.

Now it’s France’s lineout just inside their half.

Sam Skinner will come on here, and off comes Grant Gilchrist.

72

Front row changes

Ashman is back on for Turner, and Schoeman comes off for Alec Hepburn, who makes his home debut.

64

22

Finn catches the dropout and goes for the drop kick, but it misses left and is touched down.

France will drop out from the 22 this time.

71

France try

From nowhere, France lead.

France carry left from the scrum, and Bialle-Bailey chips ahead. He wins the races and grounds it.

Ramos converts.

66

Penalty

After a kick battle, Paterson wants to play and ships it left. It misses the target, bounces a few times and falls to Duhan.

The winger is tackled by Fickou, who was off his feet. We get the penalty, and now we’ll throw in on our left, on France’s 10.

69

Accidental offside

A lengthy, lengthy kicking battle there. France eventually run it back, and Gilchrist strips the ball. But as Finn attempts to kick it, he accidentally hits a Scot in front of him who is offside.

France scrum on our 10.

58

It’s good!

16-10.

62

Dropout

A couple of times in this current passage, France have had three or four phases, and it’s not gone anywhere and they’ve been forced to kick. Between Russell and Paterson, they gobbled up everything.

Then Finn kicks downfield and nearly gets it to touch, but instead it bounces over the try line and is dotted down. Goalline dropout.

52

Smart exit

An excellent grubber kick from France on the left is fielded by Paterson, who is tackled to inches short of the line.

He does so well to stay short, and then Finn box kicks to touch.

France lineout on the 22, on the left.

54

Free kick

To much pressure from France before the put in. Free kick for us.

Finn punts down field, and then as France run it back Jones hits Penaud and causes a knock on!

Another Scotland scrum 30 from a line, this time it’s France’s try line.

50

Ruck steal

An excellent set-play in midfield from Scotland! White goes to the blindside to Jones, who runs infield and pops it to Sione Tuipulotu. He half-breaks and finds Andy Christie who gallops into the 22.

However, Alldritt latches on at the breakdown and wins the jackal penalty.

57

Offside…

Another French offside. Finn will go for three, and again it’s on the 22 in front of the posts.

51

Injury break

Alldritt was injured in that turnover, and has had to come off, causing a break in play.

We restart with a lineout on halfway after France’s pen.

53

Knocked on

From the lineout, Danty drops it in midfield.

We’ll have the scrum 30 metres from our line. A chance to exit.

49

So close!

Zander Fagerson breaks through in midfield, and offloads to White. It doesn’t reach him, but he kicks it over the line and races Penaud to it. Penaud just wins it, and it’ll be a goalline dropout.

47

Mark

A couple of phases from France and then they boot it. Rowe runs it back.

There’s a half-break from Jones on the left wing, then Russell sees space in behind on the right. But Ramos sees it coming, and sprints across to call the mark.

The free kick leads to us getting a lineout just inside our half on our right, the East Stand side.

41

Back underway

COME ON SCOTLAND!!

49

Great nudge Harry!

France steal the lineout and grubber in behind, and Harry Paterson gathers it.

He hoofs it from the edge of his 22 right to France’s 22, and Jalibert drops it. Such a great kick!

We’ll have the scrum on France’s 22, five metres from the left touchline.

42

Scotland lineout

A couple of kicks, then Scotland will have the lineout just under 40 metres from our own line on our left.

44

Scrum France

We kick downfield, then steal a French lineout.

But then Cummings loses it in midfield and France will have a scrum. It’s on our right side, 35 metres from France’s line.

HT

Half time sub

Andy Christie comes on for the second half, replacing Matt Fagerson.

HT

Half time

We lead by three at the break!

15:18

Chloe’s comms!

As we head into the second half, our Match Centre guest commentator, Chloe Rollie, shares her thoughts on the performance so far and how Scotland can use France’s one man deficit to their advantage.

“I think Scotland look very good when we have the ball. We look dangerous in attack and dominant in defence. The high ball battle has been exciting with Harry looking comfortable in the backfield and covering ground well.

“The yellow for France could be massively beneficial as they have been forced to take a winger off which could allow Scotland to hit up the middle a few times to suck France’s defence narrow and then look to go wide as there will be space there but they need to earn the right to go there.

“Finn could also exploit the backfield with some smart kicking as the backfield may be neglected by France.”

40

The hosts escape

Scotland penalised at the scrum. France get the penalty, and will end the half.

37

Penalty five out

France offside again five metres out, after surges from Dempsey and Darge.

Tapped, and we’re off…

39

Offside AGAIN

France’s Lucu is offside at the scrum, playing Ben White.

A scrum again is the call from the penalty.

38

Another penalty and a yellow

Atonio with a no-arms tackle right on the line, and he’s going to the bin at the very least. The bunker will review it.

From the penalty, we’ve elected for a scrum five metres out in front of the sticks, around seven metres out.

France swap Bialle-Bailey out for Aldegheri so that they have enough props for the scrum, so will be down a winger for the sin-bin period.

31

Fickou pulls it back

Straight from kick off, France pinch it back at a ruck and attack down the left, getting to a metre short.

Then it’s passed right across the right, where Fickou dives over in the corner.

Ramos converts. 13-10.

35

Scotland lineout

A couple of phases from the scrum, then Russell grubbers forward. Ramos slices the return a bit into touch, and we’ll go from the 30 metres out via the lineout.

34

Scotland scrum

A couple of kicks from the restart, and White’s box kick is dropped forward by Ramos.

Scotland scrum, just under 30 metres out on the left side.

28

France kick clear

Scotland nearly steal again at the lineout, but France survive.

They kick to touch, and our lineout will be 30 metres out.

27

Dempsey steals!

Demmo pinches the lineout ball, and Russell chips over the top.

It dribbles out around 15 metres from France’s line. They’ll thrown in from there.

30

Three more

Easy as you like. 13-3.

29

Finn for goal again

France offside, and Finn will kick from on the 22 metre line, right in front, for three points.

25

Chloe gives us her thoughts on Scotland’s promising start

Scotland have a converted try and a penalty on the scoreboard to France’s single penalty.

Here’s Chloe’s take on Scotland’s start and what it’ll take to keep this up:

“Scotland’s opening try was well worked. They’re running very direct with great support lines which is allowing them to play in behind the defence with offloads.

“It will help to create more opportunities if they can retain the ball and keep playing with pace and using all of their options.”

22

Easy!

He taps it over. 10-3.

26

Knock on – solid defence!

Lots of pressure from France, but Scotland hold firm!

The visitors worked there way around the 22, with Scotland coming close to the jackal steal on several occasions.

It’s eventually dropped forward in a ruck and Scotland get the scrum. We then exit to halfway, where France will have the lineout on our right.

19

Getting the rub of it

It’s going well so far.

Another White box kick, and the ball is dropped into touch by France!

Scotland lineout, around 35 out.

23

France scrum

Ramos chips over the top and almost gathers. Finn gets there first, but knocks it on.

France scrum, 25 metres out in front of the posts.

21

Shot at goal

Some carries from the forwards after the lineout get us close, and France stray offside.

Finn’s pass goes loose, but now he’ll come back and go for goal from right in front.

20

HIA

George Turner will come off for an HIA, on comes Ewan Ashman.

16

Try saver!

Fickou flies through the middle, and then heads for the left corner. But Duhan intercepts and kicks up the left touchline!

It beats both players and goes into touch on halfway.

20

Kicked to the corner…

France are penalised at a breakdown on the left for some illegal handling at the ruck.

Russell kicks to the corner…

6

France exit

Scotland win the lineout and nearly make a break in midfield, but there’s a knock-on and France kick clear.

We’ll hold briefly as Huw Jones gets some treatment. He’ll be okay to continue.

14

Thrown into touch

France kick clear from kick-off, then Scotland bring it back. Paterson makes some yards up the middle, but a pass to the left wing bounces into touch and France have the lineout on halfway.

11

France penalty

Almost an instant response from France, as Ramos breaks down the left after Scotland exit from the restart.

Scotland’s defence is good, but Gilchrist is then offside and Ramos will kick at goal.

12

7-3

It’s good from Ramos.

1

Kick off!

COME ON SCOTLAND!!!!

8

WHITE OVER THE WHITE LINE!!!!!

We have the first score! What a move!

We collect Ben White’s box kick via a French knock on, and the ball is shipped out to the right wing. Debutant Harry Paterson is massively involved, making about 20 metres and passing inside to Jones.

He finds White, who started it all, on his inside. The pass is behind the scrum half, but he brilliantly catches it behind his head and reaches the line!

Russell converts.

14:13

Hear from Chloe Rollie before kick-off

With 61 caps for her country, full-back Chloe Rollie knows a thing or two about the opportunity that Harry Paterson has earned, rather unexpectedly, today. Similarly, Chloe’s first cap in 2015 was also against France!

She shares her insight ahead of kick-off.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Harry to show what he can do. I can imagine he will be nervous and excited at the same time but he needs to channel that. He will be put under pressure by the French kicks but he should take confidence in his abilities and back himself.”

From one full-back to another, go on Harry!

4

Darge with a jackal!

A knock-on at the maul, and France bring it up the left.

But Rory Darge has made a jackal at the ruck and we have the penalty for holding on!

We’ll have a lineout on France’s 22.

3

First lineout Scotland

A wee kicking battle to start us off, as the teams figure each other out.

Scotland get the lineout on halfway and kick it back. France return it, and now we’ll have the lineout around 35 metres from our line.

14:06

Time to go!

Here come the teams!

Anthem time.

13:59

Tunnel time

Our team heads back into the changing rooms. The atmosphere is building at Scottish Gas Murrayfield! 15 to go.

14:16

Anthems observed, here we go!

Finn to get this one underway momentarily.