France v Scotland, Saturday 8pm

[BaldiePete]

Adam Hastings, Jack Mann, Alexander Masibaka and Kyle Steyn have all been added and Cameron Henderson, Arron Reed, Cameron Redpath and Rory Hutchinson have all returned to their clubs. Townsend will probably pick the same who started against Wales with Scotland likely to be sacrificial lambs in front of the French juggernaut. Could be a hiding behind the sofa evening.

[Mikey Brown]

Not sure what to make of that. Hard to picture any of those challenging the 23, with Steyn and Hastings having been out for a while.

What was wrong with Darge? Perhaps we’ll need Ritchie at 7.

[Cameo]

I suspect it'll be the same starting team subject to Darge's fitness.

I would like to see Ashman replaced on the bench (probs by Harrison). Would be a big challenge from Harrison but Ashman needs a kick. You can't come off the bench as lose all your lineouts. Suspect we will also go back to 6-2.

[BaldiePete]

I picked the info up from this article. Darge is in the squad and theirs no mention of his being injured so I presume he’s available. I think it was a hip issue.

https://scottishrugby.org/hastings-mann ... ance-week/

[francoisfou]

There’ll be one enforced change in the French team. I don’t think that centre Pierre-Louis Barassi will be available after failing an HIA in Dublin and could be replaced by either Nicolas Depoortère (Union Bordeaux/Bègles) or Gaël Fickou (Racing92).
The former would be the bolder option.
Toulon scrum half Baptiste Serin will probably be on the bench.

[Big D]

Still think we need more dynamism in the second row but would be unfair to lob one of the younger guys in to this game which will be a pumping.

Surely to feck the likes of Williamson, Henderson etc get a good run in the summer.

[BaldiePete]

I suspect it'll be the same starting team subject to Darge's fitness.

I would like to see Ashman replaced on the bench (probs by Harrison). Would be a big challenge from Harrison but Ashman needs a kick. You can't come off the bench as lose all your lineouts. Suspect we will also go back to 6-2.

6:2 would mean Dobie in for Horne. Who would the other back be, either McDowall or Rowe? Presumably Skinner would be called back in as the extra forward which doesn’t exactly inspire me.

[Mikey Brown]

Yep. 6:2 if Williamson, Cummings, Christie is a different prospect. We simply don’t have the (fit) players to make use of it right now.

[BaldiePete]

French team is out. 7:1 bench. We’re going to get monstered.

[BaldiePete]

Scotland team. Backs very much as expected. Gray dropped to a 6:2 bench with Gregor Brown starting with Sykes also on bench. Dempsey dropped completely with Muncaster on the bench. Didn’t see that coming. Unfortunately Ashman is still in the squad. 6:2 so no place for Horne.

They’re likely to be gubbed but I’m glad Brown and Muncaster are getting a chance.

[francoisfou]

French team is out. 7:1 bench. We’re going to get monstered.

Ha! I seem to remember hearing something similar four years ago when you sneaked a last minute victory due to a ginormous brain fart by French fullback Brice Dulin!
But then again, you could be right

[Big D]

Gray and Ashman lucky to make bench.

Glad Brown is starting. Need more dynamism in the second row.

[septic 9]

Dempsey has a hamstring problem

[Mikey Brown]

Marshall Sykes as our counter to Meafou is pretty funny.

It will be good to see Muncaster get a run out, and pleased for Brown to get a start.

[switchskier]

Really pleased to see Brown in but I question throwing him in against France for a 6N starting debut. He should add dynamism, and that will help against a monster french pack, but if that was the plan then why not give him the Welsh game too?

Also still not convinced that Jordan is the best centre foil for Jones. He's had a few defensive slips and I still prefer McDowall and the ability to carry hard and straight.

Said when I first saw him that Muncaster would start for Scotland. Delighted that he's on the bench. Should have been 12 months ago if Edinburgh had trusted him earlier.

[BaldiePete]

Jonny Gray has a knee injury and is replaced on the bench by Ewan Johnson. I don’t know much about him. Is he the sort of dynamic ball carrier we need?

[Cameo]

No idea re Johnson. Interesting that he is next in line.

Chances are we will lose comfortably, but we seem to have found a way against France to normally at least stay in with a shout. We will see.

[switchskier]

No idea re Johnson. Interesting that he is next in line.

Chances are we will lose comfortably, but we seem to have found a way against France to normally at least stay in with a shout. We will see.

Think I saw him play once (french game on TV while travelling). My memory is of size and heft rather than dynamism. But that may be bias when you look at his stats. Still, doesn't strike me as an impact bench option.

Weird that he's ahead of Henderson though given the level they're both playing at. Coaching team must not fancy him for some reason. Is Alex Craig injured?

[Big D]

Thought the ref was awful although it didn't impact who won.

Congrats to France, better team on the night and best team in thr tournament.

Some big individual performances by some Scots up front Fagerson, Schoeman, Brown and Ritchie particularly but just couldn't contain the French. Thought White was excellent and showed why GT trusts him ahead of others.

Many in the backs were good but just not clinical enough.

Didn't feel like a 19 point game to me, more a 9-10 point game.

The have to scrap the "low/high degree of danger" for off the ball deadbolt foul play.

[BaldiePete]

First congratulations to France, you are a fantastic team. If it had been a dry day at Twickenham and you’d held on to the ball you’d have had a Grand Slam.

I’m less dispirited about that than I would expect to be after a 19 point defeat. We put in a mostly tough performance and didn’t fold under pressure from the French. As usual we were hopeless when we got within a couple of metres of the opposition line and couldn’t convert pressure in the 22 into points. I’ll be polite and say there were some strange decisions from Carley which didn’t help our cause. Not giving Mauvaka at least a 20 minute red for an act of foul play was baffling. It wasn’t like it was a mistimed tackle during play, he nutted White well after the whistle had gone. Kinghorn’s elbow must have found the blade of white grass that Ally Hogg touched all those years ago, a replay would have helped but the French TV director must have “lost” it.

[BaldiePete]

Does anyone have the flow chart that shows how offences are categorised? I thought there was no mitigation for foul play?

[Mikey Brown]

All been covered above, but yeah, bravo France, generally a good Scotland performance but same frustrating lack of execution, several WTFs from the ref, where can we go from here? Etc. etc.

[septic 9]

First congratulations to France, you are a fantastic team. If it had been a dry day at Twickenham and you’d held on to the ball you’d have had a Grand Slam.

I’m less dispirited about that than I would expect to be after a 19 point defeat. We put in a mostly tough performance and didn’t fold under pressure from the French. As usual we were hopeless when we got within a couple of metres of the opposition line and couldn’t convert pressure in the 22 into points. I’ll be polite and say there were some strange decisions from Carley which didn’t help our cause. Not giving Mauvaka at least a 20 minute red for an act of foul play was baffling. It wasn’t like it was a mistimed tackle during play, he nutted White well after the whistle had gone. Kinghorn’s elbow must have found the blade of white grass that Ally Hogg touched all those years ago, a replay would have helped but the French TV director must have “lost” it.

Carley's choice was a straight red, or a yellow and review. He chose the latter which should not come as a surprise. No ref these days will give a straight red unless exceptionally deliberate violent play, not if they want to continue reffing top level. We can argue whether that was true, but refs are under severe pressure not to issue red cards. The non upgrade of the yellow is a bunker official decision, not Carley's. he bunker was introduced to allegedly allow the game to move on without delay for loads of big screen replays, and too ensure correct decisions without pressure to rush it. Except World Rugby are using the bunker as an excuse to look for any reason however nonsense not to upgrade to red

[BaldiePete]

OK, I should have realised that. Carley was still terrible though.

[septic 9]

we played really well, lost to the better team and yes the final score flattered France

Both Fagersons immense. Brown a huge upgrade a lock, and scrum solid. White just excellent. Russell was Russell. Media will focus on one error and ignore how he ran the game, was basically brilliant