A first-half brace from France inside-centre Mathieu Bastareaud ended Scotland’s hopes of starting the RBS 6 Nations with a win at Murrayfield today (9-18). Scotland took the lead through the boot of full-back Chris Paterson however Bastareaud crossed twice – scores that Scotland coach Andy Robinson reckoned were too soft – either side of a second Paterson penalty, to put the French nine points clear at half-time. Unfortunately for the home side they couldn’t impose themselves in the second-half as they had in the first so, with just a penalty a piece – which took full-back Chris Paterson to 750 points –  the game ended with score margin unchanged. Scotland 9-18 France A first-half brace from France inside-centre Mathieu Bastareaud ended Scotland’s hopes of starting the RBS 6 Nations with a win at Murrayfield today (9-18). Scotland took the lead through the boot of full-back Chris Paterson however Bastareaud crossed twice – scores that Scotland coach Andy Robinson reckoned were too soft – either side of a second Paterson penalty, to put the French nine points clear at half-time. Unfortunately for the home side they couldn’t impose themselves in the second-half as they had in the first so, with just a penalty a piece, the game ended with score margin unchanged. Scotland head coach, Andy Robinson, said: “We were under a lot of pressure and it was very hard out there – the French were very canny. “There were a number of positives that emerged from today against a very good French side but we are still finding our way. “We created some chances but didn’t take them while France did and that’s how games are won and lost at this level. “That wasn’t helped by us conceding two soft tries however credit to the French I thought that their defence was tremendous.” The Scots started well and their dominant display, particularly through forward line breaks, found them on the French five metre line in front of the posts. French hands in the ruck offered them a shot at goal which Paterson stroked through the posts, 3-0. The Scots continued to thrust into the French defence however their renowned counter-attacking rugby often undid several phases of Scots play. The first example saw Scotland play through advantage only to be turned over on the half-way line. The French burst into the Scot’s half and would have scored had the in-form Kelly Brown not tap-tackled the score-bound Clerc. Clerc’s stumble bought opposing wing Thom Evans the time to dive in and flip the Frenchman onto his back thus preventing a try. However it was not long until the French got their first score when repeated pick and goes in the Scottish red zone sucked in enough Scots to create a two man overlap on the near touchline. Bastareaud, the willing recipient, crossed for his first however scrum-half Morgan Parra could not make the kick form the touchline, 3-5. The score didn’t shake Scotland’s belief and, after 17 minutes of play, the match’s first lineout was sent right to the back, Johnnie Beattie broke clean through but, with two Frenchman hanging off him, he couldn’t get a clean offload to supporting scrum-half Chris Cusiter who knocked the ball on metres from the line. The French were then gifted a chance to score when stand-off Phil Godman tried to grubber through for wing Sean Lamont however the ball cannoned off French legs and deep into the Scottish half. Lamont just made it back in time to put in a try saving tackle and, when the ball was popped high into the air, Paterson was on hand to collect the ball and kick Scotland to safety. The sides then exchanged penalties after Scotland were penalised for a scrum collapse and the French for offside minutes before Bastareaud broke to claim his second try from a sublime pass from centre Yannick Jauzion. Parra converted, 6-15. Half time: 6-15 The scoreline didn’t reflect Scotland’s efforts in the first-half and the feeling was that more of the same would be enough to get a score and bring the hosts back into the game. Unfortunately Scotland weren’t nearly as dominant or imposing in the second-half and a Parra penalty, three minutes into the half, stretched the French lead before Paterson responded with his own kick to restore the half-time score gap – it also brought up 750 points for Paterson in Scotland colours. Both coaches rang changes for their respective teams, which saw Glasgow lock Richie Gray make his Scotland debut, but it was not enough for either side to register any more points although Sean Lamont who had a lively game in attack made another menacing thrust as the clock ticked down. Full time: Scotland 9-18 France Scotland teamChris Paterson; Thom Evans, Max Evans, Graeme Morrison; Phil Godman, Chris Cusiter CAPTAIN; Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, Moray Low, Nathan Hines, Alastair Kellock, Johnnie Beattie, John BarclaySubstitutesScott Lawson on for Ford (65′), Alan Jacobsen on for Low (52′), Richie Gray on for Hines (68′), Alan MacDonald, Rory Lawson, Alex Grove, Hugo Southwell (on for Godman 52′) France teamClement Poitrenaud; Benjamin Fall, Mathieu Bastareaud, Yannick Jauzion, Aurelien Rougerie; Francois Trinh-Duc, Morgan Parra; Thomas Domingo, William Servat, Nicolas Mas, Lionel Nallet, Pascal Pape, Thierry Dusautor, Imanol Harinordoquy, Fulgence OuedraogoSubstitutesDimitri Szatzewski on for Servat (50′), Luc Ducalon on for Mas (45′), Julien Pierre on for Pape (60′), Julien Bonaire on for Dusautoir (66′), Frederic Michalak on for Parra (66′), David Marty of for Bastareaud (66′), Vincent Clerc on for Rougerie (4′) Referee: Nigel OwensAttendance: 61,584RBS man of the match: France number 8 Imanhol Harinordoquy