Scotland v France 15:00 GMT Murrayfield

errlloyd

Stuart Hogg 15 Scott Spedding
Tommy Seymour 14 Wesley Fofana
Duncan Taylor 13 Gael Fickou
Alex Dunbar 12 Maxime Mermoz
Tim Visser 11 Virimi Vakatawa
Finn Russell 10 Francois Trinh-Duc
Greig Laidlaw CPT 9 Maxime Machenaud
Josh Strauss 1 Jefferson Poirot
John Hardie 2 Guilhem Guirado CPT
John Barclay 3 Rabah Slimani
Jonny Gray 4 Alexandre Flanquart
Richie Gray 5 Yoann Maestri
Willem Nel 6 Yacouba Camara
Ross Ford 7 Wenceslas Lauret
Alasdair Dickinson 8 Damien Chouly
Stuart McInally 16 Camille Chat
Rory Sutherland 17 Vincent Pelo
Moray Low 18 Uini Atonio
Tim Swinson 19 Sebastien Vahaamahina
Ryan Wilson 20 Loann Goujon
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne 21 Sebastien Bezy
Pete Horne 22 Jules Plisson
Sean Lamont 23 Maxime Medard

Arise the Children of the Fatherland, who fought and died for the howling of these fearsome soldiers, and sent them homeward, to think again.

My two favorite anthems combining ahead of what is one of my favourite fixtures. It has been a decade since I sat before the television, reasonably new to rugby and watched a heavily fancied France side fall foul of the Scots in Murrayfield. 10 years is too long in rugby. Sean Lamont grabbed two tries that day and stands as the loan surviving Scot. The last man who remembers what it feels like to beat the French.

Today Paddy Power has them at 1 point favorites. It is brave new ground for many Scottish faces.

The main reason I am looking forward to this game is I believe that if Scotland want to win, they're going to need to play rugby. The top tacklers in both the French and the Scottish teams are concentrated in the pack, that is not particularly unusual for a 6 nations team.

Missed Made Top Tacklers Made Missed
0 41 J. Gray

1

G. Guirado 32 3
6 38 J. Hardie

2

A. Flanquart 28 1
3 30 R. Gray

3

W. Lauret 26 5
0 26 R. Ford

4

D. Chouly 25 2
2 24 A. Dickinson

5

J. Poirot 20 2

What is interesting is the balance. As you can see in the graph above (stats courtesy of the Irish Times fantasy rugby), the French pack make a very high percentage of their tackles. Their backs are getting a bit of a baby sitting ride. Now there are two sides to every stat, maybe it's just that teams haven't attacked the French backs at all (and sure they did play Ireland, Scotland haven't yet). When Ireland played France we managed a grand total of 0 line breaks, what is remarkable is that we made so few when the French backs are quite porous.

Missed Tackles by position
9.6%

Front Row

9.6%
4.9%

Second Row

7.7%
12.5%

Back Row

10.6%
27.8%

SH

25.0%
10.0%

FH

0.0%
14.9%

Backs

19.1%

The French outside backs have only been asked to make about 47 tackles in three games and have still managed to miss 9 of them. The Scots have had to make 87, only missing 13.

SO... If France were the same French team that had played this whole tournament I would have taken Scotland at -1 from Mssrs Paddy and Power. But they aren't. There was one man that lit up the final 10 minutes against Wales last week. One our best overseas posters Iroced reckons he's always been the first choice French ten, but has an horrible injury profile.



Despite my optimism that Scotland can win, I wouldn't bet on it. Trin Duc brings a real direction to the French backs. They're a reasonably potent bunch, so if he can use them, they can do damage.

Anyway. Reasonably excited for this one. Heart says Scotland, head says they'll keep it close to 70 then blow it.

Stheno

I'd like Scotland to win

The Rape of Lucretia

Faldo moment there on a hand !

Quick, quick; Scotland lineout calls being analysed and unpicked by the French analysts!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

My family would crucify my but I think I want France to win.

A final weekend with nothing at all on the line would be pretty boring, especially when compared to the last final day.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Oh my, that's nice.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Who the f**k is Gerrardo?

Stheno

France try

Finn Russell looks in trouble

thomond2006

Some brilliant play for that try.

nehe milner skudder

Player of the tournament for me Guirado

errlloyd

Scotland need Russell

errlloyd

I love how quickly Scotland are doing everything.

pickarooney

Smash! Springcoq flattens Springjock.

nehe milner skudder

pickarooney wrote: »

Smash! Springcoq flattens Springjock.

A funny turn of phrase yet a troubling indictment on modern game. Sad really

thomond2006

Donal Lenihan: "Jefferson Purée"

FFS is it much to ask broadcasters to have a list of names in front of them written in phonetics?!

Scottie99

Try Scotland....

Korat

Well worked try from Scotland. Ireland can expect a serious threat from them next week.

Stheno

Great game so far.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Oh my, there's another one.

thomond2006

What a dreadful try to concede.

Stheno

I'd say Murrayfield is going mental!

edit, some badness being looked at

Scotland really play with great intensity.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Stheno wrote: »

I'd say Murrayfield is going mental!

They're celebrating England winning the Championship while they're sat at home watching on TV :eek:

Scottie99

Jesus another try Scotland..

errlloyd

Delish.

A-Train

Great try, Laidlaw was a lucky boy aswell

The Rape of Lucretia

Beautiful blocking but legal line by Horne. Shows the importance of support running even if you are not going to receive the ball.

Stheno

Is this ref calling scrums different from normal? I thought it was crouch, bind, set? He seems to call crouch (something else) bind and set.

I think that's a sensible decision, really had no effect on the French player.

matthew8

What a ridiculous call by Jackson.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Korat wrote: »

Well worked try from Scotland. Ireland can expect a serious threat from them next week.

We'll have to defend much more than we did yesterday but the way they are playing this year they could concede a few tries too. If we can play like we played yesterday, execution wise, it could be a very exciting game to watch.

pickarooney

thomond2006 wrote: »

Donal Lenihan: "Jefferson Purée"

FFS is it much to ask broadcasters to have a list of names in front of them written in phonetics?!

Ah no, we'd miss gems like Halloween Jones and Lion Williams on France 2 then.

nehe milner skudder

AdamD wrote: »

I think that's a sensible decision, really had no effect on the French player.

If it was a player in green being held back there would be murder on here.

Stheno

France try!

thomond2006

Fine finish from Fickou

errlloyd

Half of the tournament so far for me.

blackcard

AdamD wrote: »

I think that's a sensible decision, really had no effect on the French player.

It was foul play, try should have been disallowed

Korat

Shame Scotland couldn't keep them out there.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Should be 18-17 now if Trans-Duck had his kicking boots on.

blackcard

blackcard wrote: »

It was foul play, try should have been disallowed

Trust me, if you pulled up every incident like that in a match, there would be more than a dozen yellows for each side.

nehe milner skudder

nehe milner skudder wrote: »

If it was a player in green being held back there would be murder on here.

I believe Madigan did the exact same thing against France, trying to stop a runner going through. Nobody saw, nobody complained.

pickarooney

Who fell off that tackle on Taylor?

errlloyd

pickarooney wrote: »

Who fell off that tackle on Taylor?

Vakatawa

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Did Russell stay off?

Stheno

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Did Russell stay off?

Yeah, he's sitting with the subs, looks fairly ok.

Great kick there from Hogg.

Synode

Hogg is a class act. And only 23

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Synode wrote: »

Hogg is a class act. And only 23

Himself and Brown for the Lions, I reckon. Our Rob won't get a look in.

pickarooney

Spedding's left eye not working?

Stheno

Just three points in it now.

pickarooney

What's Scotland's rush? Three phases and then kick it away.

Synode

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Himself and Brown for the Lions, I reckon. Our Rob won't get a look in.

Defo. Halfpenny too. Gonna be some competition for the starting place. If Gatland is coach though I think we all know who he'll pick

Stheno

Jaypers that French prop sub didn't last long.