France end Scotland’s Grand Slam hopes in Paris epic

France punctured Scotland’s rising belief and restored their have Six Countries title hopes with a exhausting-fought win in an astonishing contest in Paris.

All aspects suffered purple playing cards in the first 10 minutes, and Scotland trailed 19-0 at one stage sooner than roaring relief to compose it a four-point recreation going into the final few minutes.

Nevertheless, France’s effectivity won out as a skipped over Scotland lineout allowed Fabien Galthie’s facet to head down the pitch, and at final Gael Fickou powered over to seal a bonus-point win.

It advance Ireland – who talk to Murrayfield in two weeks – are the exclusively facet left chasing a Huge Slam, with France now level with Scotland and England on 10 points after two wins and a defeat.

Romain Ntamack and Ethan Dumortier had scored both facet of a purple card for Scotland’s Grant Gilchrist, sooner than France’s Mohamed Haouas used to be additionally sent off.

Thomas Ramos grabbed an intercept strive to two penalties to maintain his facet ahead, despite two tries from Scotland’s Huw Jones because the guests attach France under extreme stress.

Finn Russell darted over the line and remodeled his have strive to compose it a four-point recreation and problem up a grandstand finish with 10 minutes left however finally the Scots fell appropriate rapid.

Ruthless France storm ahead

Most of us expected there might presumably well maybe merely be fireworks, however the drama used to be gripping from the second the ball left Stuart Hogg’s boot at kick off.

France, clearly hurting from their first loss in over a year to Ireland, laid down the gauntlet as they powered ahead sooner than unleashing Ntamack to rating in the nook after exclusively four minutes.

And when Gilchrist used to be sent off for a excessive form out into the head of Anthony Jelonch and Dumortier crossed in the nook to compose it 12-0 after exclusively nine minutes, Scotland looked adore they were about to rob a ancient battering.

Nevertheless, Haouas’ second of madness in flinging himself head first into a transparent-out on Ben White handed Scotland a existence-line from nowhere and problem up a thrilling match.

It used to be the prop second sending off against Scotland in three years – his previous coming for punching Jamie Ritchie – and from their the guests grew in stature.

And though Ramos picked off Russell’s lengthy pass to drag away and compose it 19-0, Scotland had the greater potentialities, with Zander Fagerson failing by an inch as he lunged for the line, whereas Duhan van der Merwe used to be bundled into touch.

Jones used to be finally attach under the posts by Russell, however Ramos flippantly stroked over a penalty to compose it a 15-point recreation on the destroy.

Ignored opportunity for Scotland

That felt relatively harsh on Scotland, however five minutes after the restart they grew to develop into up the stress. Tuipulotu combined splendidly alongside with his Glasgow group-mate Jones for the latter’s second try.

And though Russell’s gleaming explain-and-recede opened a hole large ample for him to scamper over and pass within four points, France were appropriate more ruthless when it counted.

Ramos had already ensured the scoreboard used to be no longer static for France in the second half of with any other penalty, and as then an error on the lineout finally label Scotland their likelihood to snatch victory.

An overthrow sent France on the march, and though Scotland managed to struggle relief the ball, captain Ritchie used to be pinged in his have 22 for holding on.

That problem the platform for Fickou to rating the match-winning try, which killed Scotland’s Huge Slam hopes.

Player of the match – Thomas Ramos

Line-ups

France: Ramos, Penaud, Fickou, Moefana, Dumortier; Ntamack, Dupont (capt); Baille, Marchand, Haouas, Flament, Willemse, Jelonch, Ollivon, Alldritt.

Replacements: Barlot, Wardi, Falatea, Taofifenua, Cros, Macalou, Couilloud, Jalibert.

Scotland: Hogg, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Z Fagerson, R Gray, Gilchrist, Ritchie (capt), Watson, M Fagerson

Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Nel, J Gray, Skinner, Dempsey, Imprint, Kinghorn

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)

Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR)

TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

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