France vs Scotland: Key talking points for Six Nations clash in Paris
By Sky Sports Rugby Union
Last Updated: 22/02/19 3:38pm
Scotland travel to Paris to take on France in Round 3 of the Guinness Six Nations on Saturday (kick-off 2.15pm) - here we look at some of the key talking points.
In short, this is a big Test match for both teams. Scotland must prove themselves without key players while the hosts must find some structure and try to start re-building some pride.
The visitors arrive having not won in Paris since 1999 and are battling with an injury list much longer than any Scottish fan would like. On the other side of the coin, France's form is poor, their coach is being questioned and they look all at sea...
Scottish half-backs and French commitments
Both of Gregor Townsend's half-backs were on Top 14 duty during the week's break from the Six Nations.
"I couldn't help but smile to see Franck Azema keep Greig Laidlaw on for the entire 80 minutes of Clermont's game on Saturday, even though the result was in no doubt for at least the last 20 minutes," Stuart Barnes wrote in his column on Monday.
Sure enough, Laidlaw played the entire game in a week when he could have done with a break, and though it's not suggested that was done with French intentions at heart, it certainly wasn't in Scotland's best interest to have their captain out there for the full 80 minute seven days before an important Test match.
Finn Russell was also in action in France, and though he only played one half for Racing 92, the reason he was taken off the field was for a Head Injury Assessment - which he failed.
It was then confirmed on Tuesday the fly-half would not be available for the weekend's Test.
"The 26-year-old play-maker has not satisfied the requirements of today's component of the graduated return to play protocol... meaning there is insufficient time for him to be considered for this weekend's action," Scottish Rugby said in a statement.
With both first-choice half-backs in action during the tournament's fallow week, the phrase 'less than ideal' seems to fit the bill...
France nearing crisis status
It's not often that Scotland arrive in Paris as favourites, but that has to be the case this weekend.
Townsend's team were convincing winners over Italy, and will rue a missed opportunity to beat an out-of-sorts Ireland in week two. All in all Scotland are in third place, and with a win in the French capital, could pass the halfway mark of this year's Six Nations in second spot.
France, on the other hand, are nearing crisis status. Jacques Brunel's side ended 2018 with a loss to Fiji, and they started 2019 by imploding in the second half of their first outing to concede an unlikely loss to Wales on home turf.
Things then went from bad to worse as England tore their old enemies apart at Twickenham, leaving France second from bottom in the standings having scored the fewest points, conceded the most, and just a losing bonus-point separating them and sixth-placed Italy.
Lose this weekend and France are staring down the barrel of a wooden spoon shoot-out with Italy in the final weekend in March. Six months before a World Cup campaign, that's as close to a French fiasco as you could get.
Half-back roulette
Let's stick with Les Bleus shall we and turn the spotlight on their half-backs... it wouldn't be a French Test week if we didn't really would it?
When it comes to changing the key axis, the French wipe the floor of the every other side in Test rugby. They're famed for it and you can almost put your mortgage on there being a change as opposed to a settled unit.
While other nations actively try to find and keep key men together in the middle - Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton, Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett - France love to chop and change.
Did you know?
This weekend is Jacques Brunel's 14th Test in charge and he's named his seventh different half-back pairing...none have ever lasted more than three Tests.
This isn't a Brunel-ism, instead it's a long-standing part of French rugby as Guy Noves and Phillipe Saint-Andre both amended at will too. In total France have fielded 33 different half-back combinations since Saint-Andre took over in 2012.
Now the baton has been handed to 19-year-old Romain Ntamack and Antoine Dupont in a "sporting choice", according to the head coach.
There are some that may not buy that explanation after criticism was put his way from Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez but Brunel's word must be taken.
If France are to start turning things around then they need to get their feet on the ground and find some continuity at nine and ten... will that happen? We'll see...
Flying without Russell and Hogg
Any head coach or director of rugby will talk about opportunities being created when injuries strike and for Scotland, this weekend is about proving that they can cope without two of their most influential and dynamic players.
Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg see and create opportunities that others don't, that's not a slight on Pete Horne and Blair Kinghorn, it's just a function of the talent held by Russell and Hogg.
This is not a call for Scotland to change their style and play 'boring' rugby, far from it. Instead, it's a call for a void to be filled by players taking control and showing that they can play what they see too.
With Rugby World Cup 2019 approaching at a rate of knots, generating depth in case something like this happens, is vital. Just ask Ireland...
In all, even without their key duo Scotland should take a little swagger to Paris and should arrive with a spot of confidence.
Yes, the record books say that they haven't won in Paris since 1999 but this is a fragile French side and one that Scotland must break in order to continue on their own journey forwards.
Team News
France: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Gael Fickou, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont; 1 Jefferson Poirot, 2 Guilhem Guirado (c), 3 Demba Bamba, 4 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 5 Felix Lambey, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 7 Arthur Iturria, 8 Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Etienne Falgoux, 18 Dorian Aldegheri, 19 Paul Willemse, 20 Gregory Alldritt, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Anthony Belleau, 23 Maxime Medard.
Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn ,14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Nick Grigg, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Pete Horne, 9 Greig Laidlaw; 1 Allan Dell, 2 Stuart McInally, 3 Simon Berghan, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Jamie Ritchie, 8 Josh Strauss.
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Alex Allan, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Ben Toolis, 20 Gary Graham, 21 Ali Price, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Darcy Graham.
