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France emerge victorious after a closely fought battle with Scotland
France took their second win of the Women’s Six Nations as they beat a courageous Scotland side 15-5 in Edinburgh.
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The scoreline was drastically different to the result of the meeting between the two sides in the 2023 Six Nations when France took the 55-0 victory.
A sole try in the first half from Ellis Martin gave Scotland the narrow 5-3 lead at the break, but France responded with a score from 18-year-old Kelly Arbey in the second half to put themselves back ahead.
Les Bleues would eventually win the match with the clock in the red as Emeline Gros crossed the line for their second try as they eventually managed to wear down the defence.
Before kickoff, the ball was presented by ultramarathon runner Jasmin Paris in front of a bustling crowd at the Hive, before Scotland’s Louise McMillan led the teams out for her 50th cap.
Romane Ménager made a menacing break for the line and made it to within five metres, but
Meryl Smith turned the ball over after an important tackle to stop the French number eight. Scotland’s possession was short-lived as they gave away a penalty for taking a player without the ball.
The lineout wasn’t fully firing for either team in the opening minutes, and luckily for Scotland, the French throw fell in their favour for Helen Nelson to clear up at the back and diffuse the early danger.
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Lina Queyroi opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a penalty as Scotland were penalised for a deliberate knock-on.
Scotland had a chance to level the score with a penalty of their own three minutes later, but rather uncharacteristically compared to her perfect kicking the week before, Nelson missed the posts and France remained ahead.
Alex Stewart, only in her second match for Scotland, was instrumental in stalling the French attack as they came knocking again through a kick from Queyroi.
France continued to attack, but with it came persistent Scottish defence, Malcolm counter-rucking to force a French knock-on. As a result, the hosts were able to regather after having a kick charged down on their own line to attack on the halfway line after a fantastic clearance from Lisa Thomson was caught with a French foot in touch.
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French centre Gabrielle Vernier left the field after clashing heads with a teammate in the 27th minute, but passed her HIA to return to the field to see out the half.
The now much-improved lineout eventually proved fruitful in the 35th for Bryan Easson’s side, splintering the French defence to allow Martin to score her first-ever try for Scotland after a solid push from the forward pack, on what was her first start for her country.
Nelson’s conversion attempt missed the posts, but Scotland held the two-point lead as they went into half-time after a fairly evenly matched first 40 minutes in Edinburgh despite France being the firm favourites going into round two.
Scotland’s defence was called into action in the second half as France came out of the blocks with a point to prove. Rhona Lloyd put in a huge tackle to bring down a charging Emilie Boulard, but a rushed kick from Queyroi fell dead to give Scotland the scrum and put a pause on the French attack.
Mistakes too crept in for the hosts as Caity Mattinson kicked the ball out on the full, and an error-strewn opening to the second half continued as France’s Arbey knocked on an offload from Nassira Kondé to prevent a potential try-scoring opportunity.
Seconds after coming onto the field as a replacement, Scotland hooker Molly Wright went down hard after a tackle which resulted in a lengthy pause in play as she received necessary medical treatment before she was stretchered off the pitch. Try-scorer Martin, who had just made way for Wright, came back on to allow for contested scrums.
Arbey’s previous error was soon forgotten as France worked through the phases after the scrum with slick handling from Vernier and Boulard sent her over in the corner for her first senior try for Les Bleues. The touchline conversion attempt from Queyroi was unsuccessful, but France were now ahead once again.
KELLY ARBEY 🔥
L’ailière toulousaine inscrit son premier essai avec les Bleues 🙌
📺 @FranceTV #ECOFRA | #SixNationsRugby pic.twitter.com/qd47SnyCH5
— Six Nations (FR) (@SixNations_FR) March 30, 2024
The French fly-half had a second opportunity to extend their lead minutes later, but once again missed the uprights, the kickers on both teams experiencing vastly different success rates compared to their perfection in round one.
The Scottish defence prevailed again with just over ten minutes left on the clock as Evie Gallagher secured a try-stopping turnover as an energised French side were hunting for their second try.
😎 The art of a back row forward 🙌 @Evie_gallagher3 💪#GuinnessW6N #SCOFRA pic.twitter.com/RqRZsX3RS0
— Guinness Women’s Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) March 30, 2024
Scotland held France at 5-8 as the clock ticked down, but the visitors had time for one more score at the death to seal the victory through a try from Gros after they piled on the pressure to break down a valiant Scottish defence. Queyroi added the two points to put an end to the match.
France took four points from the win, additionally denying Scotland the losing bonus point with their final try.
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope they didn’t pay Jones fee?
2 Go to commentsTo be fair, the teams he's had to put out are reminiscent of those available to Gatland during his horrible run at the Chiefs in late 2020. Anyway, he's only got a two year contract and Wellingtonian Tamati Ellison will be ready by then, as will a lot of talented youngsters (like the Chiefs Gatland blooded). The Crusaders are planning for the long term.
4 Go to commentsGreat to see more community spending leading to higher participation in the community. It's a long road but that's a good first step.
2 Go to commentsPoetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
4 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
4 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
96 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
96 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
96 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
96 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
96 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
96 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
96 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
96 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
96 Go to comments