SCOTLAND
15. Stuart Hogg: 8.5
Bearing a knowing grin during the national anthem, it was evident that Stuart Hogg rather fancied this one. Despite some errors, he was the game’s outstanding attacking player, breaking the line with a huge dummy from first receiver after 26 minutes.
14. Tommy Seymour: 5
After an early half break, Seymour was injured in the first ten minutes and had to be substituted shortly afterwards.
13. Mark Bennett- 8
After a quiet first two caps, Bennett shone in Paris, able to glide round his opposite number Bastareaud and making a telling contribution as he cut an angle and off-loaded to Hogg for Scotland’s try.
12. Alex Dunbar: 7.5
While Hogg and Bennett were the headline acts, Dunbar showed his class with some muscular carries and a floated, end-over-end cut out pass in the first half.
11. Tim Visser: 6
Having struggled to get into the game, Visser’s most notable moment came in the second half when he chased an interception off a long cut out pass, but missed. With Scotland behind, it was a fair call, but only desperate defence from Bennett avoided the concession of a try as a result.
10. Finn Russell: 8
Russell’s performance in Paris was engaging viewing, partly because of his sheer enthusiasm, mixing it with the French forwards in both attack and defence with no regard for his body. In one typically swashbuckling moment, he gathered a loose ball, hurdled a ruck, and chipped ahead, narrowly failing to gather.
9. Greig Laidlaw: 6.5
Scotland’s captain was tidy and efficient, but was unable to raise the game’s tempo as effectively as during the autumn.
1. Alasdair Dickinson: 6.5
Scrummaging against the French in Paris requires courage, and Scotland’s loose head stuck at the task well. In truth, there were only seven scrums in the whole match, allowing Dickinson energy for some strong carries when required.
2. Ross Ford: 6
In contrast with his dynamic performances in the autumn, Ford was unable to make much headway with ball in hand. That said, the Scottish line out went well, winning 11/13, and his work-rate in defence was impressive, making 10 tackles.
3. Euan Murray: 6.5
Just about pulled off the give-and-take for Fife’s try, and held his own in the scrum, winning two penalties.
4. Richie Gray: 6.5
He opened his stride on a couple of occasions, and otherwise performed creditably, without reaching the heights of his performance here in 2011.
5. Jonny Gray: 8.5
Disrupted the French line-out on two occasions, and backed up his reputation for work-rate, making a remarkable 19 tackles, more than any other player on the pitch and second only to Chris Robshaw on the opening weekend.
6. Rob Harley: 6.5
While the stats don’t show Harley’s contribution as particularly significant, his rucking was relentless, as was his capacity to make a nuisance of himself.
7. Blair Cowan: 8
Until his substitution, Cowan’s performance was tremendous, tackling everything, and winning three turnovers.
8. Johnnie Beattie: 5.5
Disappointing by his usual standards. Despite one particularly hefty charge at Guirado early on, Beattie’s game was blighted by some costly knock-ons. His yellow card for collapsing a maul was, in some senses, well judged, with France motoring at some speed towards the Scottish line.
Replacements: 5
Dougie Fife replaced Tommy Seymour, and had a mixed game. He finished off Scotland’s try well by holding on to a ropey pass from Murray, but also conceded an unnecessary penalty, having been frustrated by a mistake, which gave France a crucial four point lead. Fraser Brown and Jim Hamilton performed well in the set piece after coming on.
FRANCE
15. Scott Spedding: 7
Spedding is a brute of a fullback. While lacking the incision of Hogg, he was an impressive sight when counter-attacking and was the match’s leading metre-maker.
14. Yoann Huget: 7
Although it was a busy performance, Huget was never quite at his free-wheeling best, with the inside backs lacking the cohesion to present him with genuine opportunities to attack.
13. Mathieu Bastareaud: 7.5
Contributed one impressive first half turnover, and carried to reasonable effect throughout, although one wonders if France would gain fluidity from a 13 capable of linking with those inside and outside him to greater effect.
12. Wesley Fofana: 7
Sublime hands and angles as always, and shackled Dunbar well in a fierce personal contest.
11. Teddy Thomas: 8
With his long hair, rolled down socks, alliterative name and baffling side step, Thomas has four important credentials of any bona fide flair player. He was lively throughout and certainly got the better of Dougie Fife, around whom he skated with some panache in the second half.
10. Camille Lopez: 6
Lopez was composed and efficient without presenting a running threat. He kicked well, but his election as man of the match was an odd choice.
9. Rory Kockott: 7
Kockott delivered a classy performance in his first start for France. As one half of Philippe St-André’s 14th half back pairing, he deserves a run of games.
1. Alexandre Menini: 6
Not unduly troubled by the Scottish front row, but when playing at home in the Stade de France, one expects a bit more. Replaced at half time.
2. Guillem Guirado: 6
The French line-out went well, and Guirado was the lead French front-row tackler by some distance. Perhaps unlucky to be substituted on 47 minutes.
3. Rabah Slimani: 5.5
As with Menini, Slimani is not likely to join the pantheon of great French props on last night’s evidence.
4. Pascal Papé: 6
A good source of ball for the French line-out, winning four, but was inconspicuous in the loose.
5. Yoann Maestri: 7
Overshadowed Papé with his tackling, and his efforts in France’s increasingly powerful mauling game were evident, but his carries failed to make significant metres.
6. Bernard Le Roux: 8
A busy performance and second in the tackle count only to Jonny Gray. Along with Dusautoir, he was part of a back-row effort the intensity of which made life difficult for the Scots and prevented them from piecing together phases in the second half.
7. Thierry Dusautoir: 7
As ever, the captain’s tackling and breakdown work in Paris was unyielding. A less obvious presence than Cowan, but his calm authority is much-needed in this every-changing French team.
8. Damien Chouly: 7
The most-effective French forward in terms of ball-carrying, Chouly also pitched in with some important turnovers. He lacks, however, the raw power of Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: 5
Morgan Parra replaced Kockott on 54 minutes, with little disruption to France’s game. Having looked for so long to be the natural pick, he has struggled for starts in recent seasons and will not relish playing second fiddle to Kockott. Parra aside, the current French squad has bulk on the bench in the form of 24 stone prop Uini Atonio, but on Saturday’s evidence, little in the way of game-changing quality.
By Charlie King (@CharlescpKing)
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images