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France player ratings vs Scotland | 2023 Guinness Six Nations

France's scrum-half Antoine Dupont reacts after the Six Nations rugby union tournament match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, northern Paris, on February 26, 2023. (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

France player ratings: Although France, last year’s Grand Slam winners, suffered a setback in their previous match against Ireland, they were eager to recover their form.

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With an enforced change at tighthead prop, as Mohamed Haouas replaced suspended Uini Atonio, the French team was looking to overcome Scotland’s challenge.

The game looked to be done and dusted at 19-0 but Scotland fought back into it. A frantic game but France had enough in the tank to see it out.

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15. Thomas Ramos – 7.5
Struck like a thief in the night to break Scottish hearts in the 19th minute after being gifted a 5-pointer by a speculative Finn Russell pass. Was caught loafing covering back by Stuart Hogg, which gifted Scotland an attacking scrum on the 5-metre line. Kicked well throughout.

14. Damian Penaud – 6
Drifted in and out of the game without quite cutting loose and had plenty to do in defence. Was looking to make things happen even if none of them quite paid off.

13. Gael Fickou – 8
Defended gamely against an in-form Scotland three-quarters line and had his hands full trying to contain Huw Jones, a feat that got away from him at times, but the Frenchman ultimately had the last laugh.

12. Yoel Moefana – 6
Another largely steady-neddy 80 minutes from Moefana. Failed to get a pass away when France had a possible break in the offing in what was a breathless first half and was unable to stop Finn Russell on the angle. Yet to bring his Bordeaux form to the Test arena.

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11. Ethan Dumortier – 7.5
Made the most of some quick hands and thinking for France’s second. He must think this Test rugby stuff is dreadfully easy.

10. Romain Ntamack – 6.5
Scored France’s first but in truth it could have been one of about three players queing outside him. With opposite number Finn Russell see-sawing between dangerously loose and utterly brilliantly moments in attack, Ntamack cut a more considered figure for the reigning champs.

9. Antoine Dupont – 7.5
A quiet first half by his own lofty standards and despite his best efforts wasn’t able to hold up Huw Jones early in the second. His tap tackle on Russell after he’d his kick chase, which led to a turnover for France, was a peak Dupont. A handful of visionary moments later in the game may have been the difference between the sides.

1. Cyril Baille – 7
Continues to mix mobility as a carrying option with an impeccable set-piece game.

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2. Julian Marchand – 7
A fired-up Marchand carried hard in front of his home crowd and was part of a dominant French scrum.

3. Mohamed Haouas – 3
A brainless head-on-head contact with Ben White saw the hot-tempered Haouas sent off for an early shower. The end of his Guinness Six Nations and another black mark in an already jaded disciplinary record.

4. Thibaud Flament – 7
Continues to cement his role in Galthie’s team as a mobile and athletic option at lock who isn’t scared of a strong carry.

5. Paul Willemse – 6.5
A solid 50-minutes from the giant second row, who’s still in search of his best form after returning from injury.

6. Anthony Jelonch – NA
Statement made with an early doors hit on Duhan van der Merwe, although he was on receiving end of huge and illegal shot from Grant Gilchrist, that saw him sent off, despite his protestations, by his own medic for a HIA. He didn’t return.

7. Charles Ollivon – 7.5
Thought he had scored just before halftime before it was ruled out. Imperious at the lineout. A return to form after a sub-par performance against Ireland in Dublin.

8. Gregory Alldritt – NA
Clearly wasn’t happy when he came off to make way for Haouas’ replacement Falatea.

Replacements – 7
A decent shift on what was a busy outings for the replacements bench. Tighthead Sipili Falatea was excellent after coming on early, while Romain Taofifenua got through a mountain of work. Francois Cros wasn’t quite at the races, while Matthieu Jailbert looked lively again.

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Comments

1 Comment
N
NK 884 days ago

3 for Haouas?!? He deserves 0 at best. The lad is in the mix for "Dumbest person alive" award. If I were France's coach, I'd never pick him again.

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Flankly 2 hours ago
There remains a culture of excuses in Australian rugby

One team has exceeded expectations in this series and the other has not. Hats off to a Wallabies team in rebuild mode for a smile-inducing effort in the second test (especially the first half).


Completely agree that a top ranked team finds ways to defend a big half-time lead, and they did not quite pull it off. The fact that Piardi did not run the Head Contact Process in the 79th minute Tizzano/Morgan incident is worth discussion. However, Schmidt will be pointing out to the team that avoiding a defensive breakdown on your own 5m line at that point in the game is the thing in their control. Equally, clarification 3-2022 says you cannot jump or dive as a means of avoiding a tackle, as Sheehan admits to have done, but the question for Australia is why and how they were facing a tap-and-go 5m from their line (again).


Where I disagree with this article is the suggestion that Australia are caught in an excuse-making trap of poor performance. For me they are on a steep curve of improvement, and from what we have seen of Schmidt, there is little reason to assume that this will end now. Granted Australia lacks player depth, and that’s a real problem against big teams and in major campaigns. But the Lions are a pretty good team, probably ranking in the top five in the world, and the rebuilding Wallabies were seconds (and a couple of 50/50 ref calls) away from beating them at the MCG.


In the end, the Wallabies are building to a home RWC, and were expected to lose the Lions series on the way to that goal. Success looks like being seriously competitive in the series loss, with good learnings about what needs to be fixed. A series win would have been a fantastic bonus, and humiliation for the UK/Ireland team.


I expect the Wallabies to be very credible in the 2025 RC, to be much better in 2026, and to be a very challenging opponent for any team in the 2027 RWC.

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