Scotland player ratings vs France
Scotland player ratings: Gregor Townsend made three changes to his Scotland XV to play France in Murrayfield. Fresh from the round three win over Italy in Rome after opening defeats to Ireland and England, the Scots changed up their pack for the visit of the Grand Slam-chasing French.
In their 20 meetings in the Guinness Six Nations, France have won 17 times, but Scotland had won two of their last four, both in Murrayfield. The RugbyPass Index also predicted a 71 per cent win chance for Townsend’s men.
Here are our Scotland player ratings:
STUART HOGG 6
Noises from inside the camp are that Hogg was to the manor born as a captain, and if you allow for his first-round fumble, this Six Nations has been a return to form after a flat Rugby World Cup. His vision and smart decision making with ball in hand told in many of Scotland’s most productive plays. However, his kick selection and accuracy let him down here at times. No doubt his initial steps as skipper will see a temporary depreciation in his own game.
SEAN MAITLAND 8
We’ve been quite harsh on Maitland’s performances to date in this tournament on the back of some phoned-in performances in the opening rounds. The Saracen opened brightly here however – carrying well and brilliantly won the ball in the air in the 16th minute. Bagged his two tries liked he worked in Tescos.
CHRIS HARRIS 7
He’s earned his way into the team after the strangely flat form of Huw Jones in the first two rounds, and his second start in a row saw him get a chance to showcase his rangy running style. He doesn’t seem to miss tackles, so a gold star for that.
SAM JOHNSON 6.5
Sometimes when you look at the game Townsend wants Scotland to play, Johnson might look like the odd one out – a short-term rather than a long-term fix. A sliced kick into touch wasn’t a great start, but his selfless pass to Maitland in the 41st minute summed up his game. An altruistic grafter.
BLAIR KINGHORN 7.5
Solid under the highball and survived when put under the pressure by the French when turning in defence. Ran hard and chased ever kick like a trusty Golden Retriever. Deserved a try at the end but the kick ahead didn’t quite play out.
ADAM HASTINGS 7.5
A return to form after a patchy performance in Italy in which he missed three kicks. He kicked a lot of ball in the first half despite what looked like a dry Murrayfield track. Has lots of time on the ball. He’s said in the media that he wants to prove himself but here we saw him truly expressing himself. Finn who? (Jokes, please don’t write in)
ALI PRICE 5.5
Thoroughly middle of the road contribution at the base of the scrum. Scotland used to base their game on super-fast ruck speed – some of the Scottish rucks today could be measured in minutes. If Scotland want to play the fastest rugby in the world, then Price needs to press the fast forward button. His excellent 20 metre angled run in France’s 22 was a highlight in attack.
RORY SUTHERLAND 7.5
Scotland’s prop duo of Sutherland and Fagerson have probably been the form pairing in the 2020 Six Nations. Carried well when and didn’t take a backward step all day.
FRASER BROWN 7.5
Brown won his 50th cap today and it was his best performance in this year’s competition to date. Great work over the ball helping to earn a turnover in the 14th minute was one of his many excellent contributions. A landmark cap to be very proud of.
ZANDER FAGERSON 7.5
It was 70-30 in favour of the Scots in the scrums, until the sending off of Mohammed Haouas. Fagerson got the better of Jefferson Poirot.
SCOTT CUMMINGS 5
Can be a bit of a non-entity at times. It’s very early days in his career but this game largely passed him by. No doubt there is more in the tank from this 23-year-old prospect.
GRANT GILCHRIST 7
Up-ended by Cros in the opening minute in a weird contact that won a yellow card. Got the ball away from the ruck for Scotland’s try just before halftime and a hell of a lot faster than Ali Price too.
JAMIE RITCHIE 8
Continues to be a nuisance and managed to incite a big right hook from France’s Haouas. That alone warranted two of his eight points here. Brian Moore’s Man of the Match.
HAMISH WATSON 8
While he was kept in check with ball in hand, his savagery over the ball was there for all to marvel at. His 42nd turnover might well have won the match.
NICK HAINING 7
Today was always going to be a massive test for the 6’4, 115kg No.8 against a powerful but mobile French forward pack. Was unlucky to give away the first penalty, which Ntamack duly missed. Plenty of aggression and in the thick of it when things boiled over. Litmus test passed.
REPS:
STUART MCINALLY 6.5
Townsend seems to be swapping him and Brown in a sort of horse-for-courses manner. His bodged lineout throw as conditions deteriorated wasn’t a great start. His 8th try for Scotland came moments later when he pounced on a fumbled stolen lineout (off his own throw), and all was forgotten.
ALLAN DELL 6
Again, the scrum looks a tad shakier with Scotland’s Dell n’ Nel coming off the bench. Bamba put a lot of pressure on at scrumtime.
WILLEM NEL 6
Known for his scrummaging, but as with his dance partner Dell, the Loeriesfontein bron tighthead didn’t get much of a chance to put a stamp on the game.
Scotland just flipped this Six Nations on its head! #SCOvFRA pic.twitter.com/4NjKcPfFsy
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 8, 2020
SAM SKINNER NA
Not on long enough to rate.
MAGNUS BRADBURY 6
Swapped back out to accommodate Hainings’ return. Tackled hard and brought physicality.
GEORGE HORNE 6.5
The wet conditions that he came into aren’t ideal conditions for a livewire like Horne. Looked dangerous but maybe a little too eager to make a big play. Playing second fiddle as an impact sub but would like to see him start a game.
Scotland were incredible today! #SCOvFRA pic.twitter.com/zpDJvQNWp8
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 8, 2020
DUNCAN WEIR 7
Hardly on long enough to rate but he did manage a turnover so why shouldn’t he get a seven?
KYLE STEYN 6
Won his first cap in the 66th minute. Made a positive contribution disrupting on kick-chase duty.
WATCH: Wales coach Wayne Pivac and captain Alun Wyn Jones speak at a press conference following the team’s Guinness Six Nations match against England.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments