6 NATIONS RUGBY: FRANCE V SCOTLAND

07.02.2010
France v Scotland at Murrayfield (6 Nations)

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Preview
A lot of discussion has taken place about these two teams. Both are at crossroads. Scotland is rebuilding with a new coach whereas France looks to have finally settled on a team.

Andy Robinson has been gradually building this Scotland team into a winning combination. The pivotal match was that against Australia in November, won 9-8. The belief within this squad appears stronger than prior. Not accustomed to winning their first match in this competition, a win today is need to both change that mind set and boost the confidence needed for Scotland to have one of their best seasons for a while.

France has simply got to stop the game of yoyo-brilliant one match, awful the next. This sort of play was best exampled last November. The French were so strong against South Africa, and so weak against the All Blacks ( to be fair, I didn't think the French were that bad; the All Blacks were just fantastic). Although the French coach has chopped and changed his team again-new back three, recalled old middle row in scrum, new recalled prop-it is hoped that he has settled on a squad to last, well hopefully, until the 2011 World Cup.

Last Five Encounters
14.02.2009 France 22-13 in Paris (6 Nations)
03.02.2008 France 27-6 at Murrayfield (6 Nations)
17.03.2007 France 46-19 in Paris (6 Nations)
05.02.2006 Scotland 20-16 at Murrayfield ( 6 Nations)
05.02.2005 France 16-9 in Paris (6 Nations)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-France 2nd, Scotland 6th
Europe Table-France 3rd, Scotland 5th

Prediction: Unfortunately for Scotland, France rarely play two shockers in row. France by 10 points

Teams

Scotland
15 Christopher Paterson
14 Thomas Evans
13 Max Evans
12 Graeme Morrison
11 Sean Lamont
10 Philipl Godman
9 Christopher Cusiter, Capt.
8 John Beattie
7 John Barclay
6 Kelly Brown
5 Alastair Kellock
4 Nathan Hines
3 Moray Low
2 Ross Ford
1 Alasdair Dickinson
Replacements
16 Scott Lawson
17 Allan Jacobsen
18 Richard Gray
19 Alan MacDonald
20 Rory Lawson
21 Alexander Grove
22 Hugo Southwell
Head Coach: Andy Robinson

Milestones
If he plays, Richard Gray will make his test debut.
Paterson will play his 99th test for Scotland. Of all the test players in this year's 6 Nations tournament in the nervous nineties, he could well be the first to reach his century. At 741 points he is the leading Scottish test points scorer.
Hugo Southwell, Scott Lawson, Alasdair Dickinson and Kelly Brown all return to the team after missing the November tests.

France
15 Clement Poitrenaud
14 Benjamin Fall
13 Mathieu Bastareaud
12 Yannick Jauzion
11 Aurélien Rougerie
10 Francois Trinh-Duc
9 Morgan Parra
8 Imanol Harinordoquy
7 Fulgence Ouedraogo
6 Thierry Dusautoir, Capt.
5 Pascal Pape
4 Lionel Nallet
3 Nicolas Mas
2 William Servat
1 Thomas Domingo
Replacements
16 Dimitri Szarzewski
17 Luc Ducalcon
18 Julien Pierre
19 Julien Bonnaire
20 Frederic Michalak
21 David Marty
22 Vincent Clerc
Head Coach:

Milestones
Poitrenaud, Rougerie and Michalak return after long absences from the test side. For 29 year old Rougerie, he last played a test for France against Italy back in March 2008.
If they take the field, Pierre and Ducalcon will make their test debuts.
Nallet will play his 50th test for France.