Can Scotland’s ‘France-lite’ thwart Les Bleus and hand England title?

Date: Saturday, March 15th, 2019 Kick-off: 20:00 GMT

A scene from Dumb and Dumber comes to mind when I consider Scotland’s chances of changing the awe-inspiring, championship-chasing Les Bleus to a sickly shade of green on Saturday night in Paris.

Mary is being quizzed about the specifics of Lloyd’s unrequited love. What are my chances, exactly? He inquires. Mary responds, “Not good.” Not very good, like “everyone else” would say. he ponders. Mary responds, “I’d say, one out of a million.”

You’re telling me there’s a chance, Lloyd yells in euphoric, “So, you’re telling me there’s a chance”? Yes, yes, but …

Of course, this Six Nations finale includes more than just the main characters, of course.

The rugby world will be glued to their screens on Saturday night, according to Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, and he’s probably right. At Twickenham, France are so watchable, compelling, and vulnerable, and in Dublin, France is imperious. They are their own drama.

Everyone enjoys a flawed genius, and this one is in team form. How could such a talented group of players only win a championship on Saturday night rather than a Grand Slam? France’s appeal is strengthened by the incomprehensibility of the English, which adds to the country’s appeal. They are a truly endearing couple.

The terrible beauty of their 7-1 bench, an idea borrowed from the Boks but somehow more impressive when France do it, is what draws people in, not just the creative majesty of their team.

In 18 Tests, the Bordeaux flyer has scored 17 tries. It’s ridiculous, to be honest.

What else? Bielle-Biarrey went for a record-breaking eighth try in a single Six Nations for the occasions when only great players can deliver. For Antoine Dupont, the genius who is absent. And for the few unsung heroes of war, Paul Boudehent and Thibaud Flament, who are both second-row players and can play, are just two of their many heavies.

France has won 20 of the last 25 Six Nations Tests between the two countries, including France’s previous three victories against Scotland. What about the Scots, whose fans are roaring hot favorites? One out of ten? One in a million, really? a chance ?

They have a variety of abilities, including lethal, lethal, and wasteful. They have a French feel to them.

They portray Jekyll and Hyde as straightforward, occasionally pure thoroughbreds, the Frankel of rugby, and occasionally self-destructive, the Devon Loch of the era.

The discussion about France being a race is far too illogical for Shaun Edwards. By being a mug, he didn’t become one of the most powerful coaches of the modern era.

Edwards will approach Scotland like a skilled bomb-bomb dismantling device that has been safely constructed. He is aware of the danger posed by this team, which needs to be tempered. He is aware that Scotland is so foolish that it must play a powerful game of this in their best days.

The previous year’s contest in Paris saw Scotland fall 19-0 behind after 18 minutes before coming back triumphantly to lead 25-21 after 67. One of the most spectacular spells of Townsend’s entire history, 21-6 to the visitors, was that 50-minute spell.

Gael Fickou quickly sealed it after a late misfire that cost them, but France had a terrifying experience as a result. When you take your opponent to the wire in the same manner that Scotland did that day, you win their respect.

and occasionally. Scotland won in Paris in the Covid spring of 2021. They were not instructed to. They didn’t win in France on any of their 12 previous attempts, going back to Townsend’s dazzling form as a player.

One of Duhan van der Merwe’s 32 Test tries, one of which he has scored in 48, was the winner. On Saturday, Dicky Graham will be playing the opposite wing. In 45 Tests, Graham has scored 30 tries. The pair’s wing combination is unquestionably the best backline in Scotland ever.

In the majority of their games against France, Scotland have had a ton of territory and possession under Townsend. Townsend’s team has scored more offensive minutes than France in six of their seven championship games. A lot more, occasionally.

In the Six Nations, they defeated France three times and lost four times. Five victories and seven losses follow in World Cup warm-ups.

Three victories for France came by a score. While Townsend is in charge, it is unusually rare for the French to clean the Scots.

Statistics suggest a close-knit contest, but our eyes’ perceptions essentially point in the opposite direction. Scotland will score some incredible tries if they play as they have been, but they won’t have the horses to live with France when the pressure is on.

And when that power arrives and forces Scotland to pull it in a certain way or another, the French assassins are present behind the scrum, full of outrageous vision and brutal execution.

Scotland have recently demonstrated an impressive ability to support France in the fight and make things difficult.