France's biggest threat to Scotland's Grand Slam dream
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Former Scotland scrumhalf Greig Laidlaw said his former side must be wary of France’s ability in broken play during Sunday’s Six Nations meeting in Paris.
Six Nations title holders Les Bleus have off-loaded the ball 23 times, more than any other team so far in the two opening rounds of the tournament, while this weekend’s visitors have done so on just occasions.
“The French team play differently to other teams, they randomly have a go around the ruck area, slip a little off-load and that’s where they get the oxygen from in their game,” Laidlaw told AFP on Wednesday.
“That’s something France really like to do. If they can get behind teams, they’re so dangerous.
“From a Scottish perspective, they’re going to have to take that away from them,” Laidlaw, who made the final of his 55 Scotland appearances at the 2019 World Cup, added.
Wing Damian Penaud benefits from the approach and has scored 17 tries in 23 Tests since former captain Fabien Galthie took over as head coach after the World Cup four years ago.
Laidlaw played alongside 26-year-old Penaud at French club Clermont for three seasons before the scrumhalf moved to Urayasu D-Rocks in Japan in 2020.
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“When I was in Clermont, I realised that this guy has something about him,” Laidlaw, 37, said.
“There would be two or three times in a game, he would get the ball, cut inside, run across the field and you’re thinking ‘Dams, where are you off to here mate?’
“Then all of the sudden, he steps, bam, he’s clean through. Scotland will have to mark him closely and not kick loosely to him,” he added.
Controlling things for the hosts this weekend is likely to be 2021 World Rugby player of the year Antoine Dupont, who Laidlaw faced four times during his time in the Top 14.
“He’s a very difficult man to defend against,” Laidlaw said.
“He has a low centre of gravity, a real balanced runner.
“He can take a few bumps because he has so much power that he can keep himself going,” Laidlaw added.
“He’s one of, if not the best half-back in the world, over the past couple of years.”
‘Impressive’ White
Laidlaw won the Challenge Cup and was a runner up in a Top 14 final in his spell at Clermont, the two-time French champions based in central France in the shadows of dormant volcanoes.
“It’s a massive rugby town, that’s the reason I ended up going there at the time,” Laidlaw said.
“Year two I hit my straps, I played a lot of games.
“We got to two finals, the Challenge Cup, which we won and the Top 14 which sadly we lost out to Toulouse,” he added.
This weekend, Laidlaw will watch the game from a television studio in Tokyo, covering the game for Japanese broadcasters, with help from a translator in an ear-piece during the programme.
Wearing his former No.9 shirt for Gregor Townsend’s side is set to be 24-year-old Ben White, who started the wins over England and Wales earlier this month.
London Irish’s White has taken over from British and Irish Lions scrumhalf Ali Price as Scotland eye three opening wins in a Six Nations for the first time.
“I have been impressed by his performances,” Laidlaw said.
“What I liked about him was that he took control of the game.
“It will be a huge test for him coming up against a good French team,” Laidlaw added.
