Scotland v France - Teams and Prediction
SIX NATIONS ROUND THREE: Unbeaten France head to Murrayfield with an underdog mentality and a point to prove against bogey-side Scotland on Saturday as they continue their bid for a Six Nations Championship clean sweep.
Fabien Galthie’s in-form team are two-fifths of the way towards a first title and Grand Slam since 2010, after home wins against Italy (37-10) and Ireland (30-24).
Nevertheless, they are wary of a Scotland side who have beaten them in their last two Six Nations encounters – and who will be seeking their first hat-trick of victories against France in the Championship for 64 years.
“We’re going there with an underdog mentality and with a point to prove,” said France’s English-born defence coach Shaun Edwards, who has played a key role in moulding Les Bleus into a potentially world-beating force, 18 months out from a home World Cup.
“Scotland are the only side we haven’t beaten in the Six Nations since Fabien and I took over. They’ve got the better of us on the last two occasions,” he added.
#SPOTLIGHT: ‘It’s probably up there with playing South Africa in November’ #SixNations #SCOvFRA https://t.co/pjnPXtQOSn
— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) February 24, 2022
Overcoming an outstanding Ireland side in Paris two weeks ago showed that France have maintained the momentum of their stunning 40-25 success against New Zealand at the Stade de France in November.
They arrive in Edinburgh as the only unbeaten nation left in the 2022 Six Nations and on a run of five straight victories in all competitions.
Scotland followed their stirring 20-17 home win against England with an abject performance in a 17-20 defeat by Wales in Cardiff.
Gregor Townsend’s side, however, dashed France’s Grand Slam hopes at Murrayfield in 2020, winning 28-17 after French prop Mohamed Haouas was sent off for punching Jamie Ritchie, and ended Les Bleus’ 2021 title challenge with a dramatic 27-23 win in Paris, wing Duhan van der Merwe clinching victory with an 85th-minute try.
France did win a Nations Cup fixture 22-15 against a weakened Scotland team at an empty Murrayfield in November 2020 and they have yet to lose three successive Championship matches in a row to the Scots in the Six Nations era.
‘Problems’
Their last hat-trick of defeats to the Dark Blues dates back to the era of the Five Nations, in 1958.
“Scotland are a team that pose problems for us and we are aware of the level we will need to be at this time,” said Galthie, who has kept changes to a minimum.
Jonathan Danty returns after an ankle injury to partner Gael Fickou in the centres, with Yoram Moefana moving out to the left wing to fill the place of Gabin Villiere, who has a fractured sinus.
Scotland coach Townsend, who played in France for Brive, Castres and Montpellier, has made three changes of personnel and a positional switch, all in the pack.
Glasgow’s Rory Darge, capped coming off the bench against Wales, makes his first start at openside flanker in place of the injured Jamie Ritchie.
Magnus Bradbury comes in at No 8 and Zander Fagerson at tighthead prop. Sam Skinner moves from the back row to replace the injured Jonny Gray at lock.
Townsend described France as “one of the top two or three teams in the world” and urged his team to improve on a below-par showing in Wales.
“We’ve got to be better,” the former Scotland flyhalf said.
“We know that the rugby we play and aim to put a lot of teams under pressure.”
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Players to watch
For Scotland: Rory Darge will make his first start for Scotland. The Glasgow Warriors flank made his international debut at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff earlier this month and is named alongside Hamish Watson and Magnus Bradbury in a new-look starting back row. Bradbury has been involved in the two previous Six Nations matches but will start his first game for Scotland since 2020 on Saturday. Exeter Chiefs’ Sam Skinner replaces his club teammate Jonny Gray, who is ruled out through injury. In the replacements, Oli Kebble is included after joining the squad this week.
For France: Fabien Galthie kept changes to a minimum to his starting XV. Jonathan Danty comes in at centre – he missed the 30-24 victory over Ireland a fortnight ago due to injury – with Yoram Moefana moving out to the wing to replace Gabin Villiere, who suffered facial injuries in the Ireland clash. Moefana will win his sixth cap but his first on the wing. The 21-year-old has played just three times for Bordeaux-Begles on the wing, once this season.
Head to head:
Recent results:
Prediction
@rugby365ed: France by three points
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Teams:
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg (captain), 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ali Price, 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Rory Darge, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Sam Skinner, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Stuart McInally, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 WP Nel, 19 Jamie Hodgson, 20 Nick Haining, 21 Ben White, 22 Blair Kinghorn, 23 Mark Bennett.
France: 15 Melvyn Jaminet, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Yoram Moefana, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Gregory Alldritt, 6 Francois Cros, 5 Paul Willemse, 4 Cameron Woki, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Cyril Baille.
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Thibaud Flament, 21 Dylan Cretin, 22 Maxime Lucu, 23 Thomas Ramos.
Date: Saturday, February 26
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 14.15 (15.15 France time, 14.15 GMT)
Expected weather: Partly cloudy with a high of 9°C and low of 4°C
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Chris Busby (Ireland)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)
