8 hours ago
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Pre match reading
Please get in touch with your thoughts and frustrations both pre-match and throughout. on the email. I look forward to reading them.
Team news
Gregor Townsend makes five changes to the side that squeaked past Wales, opting for a full overhaul of the front row and a reshuffle in the pack. Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, and D’Arcy Rae all step into the starting front row, replacing Nathan McBeth, Dave Cherry, and Zander Fagerson. In the back row, Jack Dempsey is fixed from injury and returns at number eight, prompting Matt Fagerson to shift to blindside flanker and Gregor Brown to move into the boilerhouse alongside Scott Cummings. It’s as you were in the backline.
France field the same side that overpowered Ireland back in round one. Matthieu Jalibert is back at fly‑half and with centre pairing of Yoram Moefana and Nicolas Depoortère reunited after injuries. Whether this would have happened without the finger injury to Fabien Brau‑Boirie we will never know.
Teams
Scotland
Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Steyn; Finn Russell, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, D’Arcy Rae, Gregor Brown, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Freddy Douglas, Josh Bayliss, George Horne, Tom Jordan.
France
Thomas Ramos; Théo Attissogbé, Nicolas Depoortère, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle‑Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Dupont; Jean‑Baptiste Gros, Julien Marchand, Dorian Aldegheri, Charles Ollivon, Mickaël Guillard, François Cros, Oscar Jégou, Anthony Jelonch.
Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Rodrigue Neti, Demba Bamba, Thibaud Flament, Emmanuel Meafou, Lenni Nouchi, Baptiste Serin, Pierre‑Louis Barassi.
Preamble
It’s been a “to you, to me” type of tournament so far in terms of form and results, unless you are France (or Wales, at the other end of the spectrum). Les Bleus bring their victorious mix of dazzle and confusion to Edinburgh in the hopes of continuing the Grand Slam quest, and throwing a stick in the spokes of Scotland’s improving fortunes.
This is a game to get everyone leaning forwards in their seats. Scotland, with their willingness to play, return to the scene of their dismembering of England a few weeks ago to take on a France team who have been ludicrous in their ability to turn loose ball or counter-attack into a boatload of points. France’s average score in the three victories so far is 41-11, so it’s fair to say that they are likely to get up near 30 today.
Scotland’s test is modulating the juggernaut of panache that is the French attack, while simultaneously racking up enough scores to overhaul that expected high points total. A few things are in Scotland’s favour. France haven’t been fully tested so far; in the last round Italy were in plenty of decent positions before ruining their own momentum which let Galthie’s side off the hook somewhat. They have also not found themselves behind and having to claw their way back into a game; Scotland are more than capable of putting the hammer down early in Murrayfield.
A Scotland win kiboshes the Slam plans of France and opens the tournament right up ahead of next week’s super Saturday, what more motivation could the home side have?
