Berliner Boersenzeitung - Grand Slam-chasing France confront Scotland hoodoo

EUR -
AED 4.301388
AFN 81.339917
ALL 97.793215
AMD 449.822133
ANG 2.095785
AOA 1073.877214
ARS 1477.8043
AUD 1.80227
AWG 2.107938
AZN 1.953194
BAM 1.953268
BBD 2.364834
BDT 143.24429
BGN 1.953765
BHD 0.441434
BIF 3444.136711
BMD 1.171077
BND 1.498058
BOB 8.093507
BRL 6.412459
BSD 1.171281
BTN 100.547644
BWP 15.626474
BYN 3.833031
BYR 22953.104232
BZD 2.35265
CAD 1.601231
CDF 3378.556766
CHF 0.935052
CLF 0.02873
CLP 1102.498888
CNY 8.402363
CNH 8.406252
COP 4721.89855
CRC 591.533101
CUC 1.171077
CUP 31.033534
CVE 110.434311
CZK 24.645338
DJF 208.124315
DKK 7.460052
DOP 70.322766
DZD 151.805596
EGP 58.163163
ERN 17.566151
ETB 162.55056
FJD 2.636439
FKP 0.857996
GBP 0.860443
GEL 3.1851
GGP 0.857996
GHS 12.175994
GIP 0.857996
GMD 83.746883
GNF 10136.840645
GTQ 9.003328
GYD 245.042313
HKD 9.192818
HNL 30.600328
HRK 7.537987
HTG 153.221355
HUF 399.838412
IDR 19044.518483
ILS 3.914541
IMP 0.857996
INR 100.478444
IQD 1534.310828
IRR 49331.608397
ISK 142.613315
JEP 0.857996
JMD 186.937643
JOD 0.830262
JPY 171.083185
KES 151.619576
KGS 102.410576
KHR 4708.899653
KMF 492.435197
KPW 1053.969363
KRW 1609.888811
KWD 0.357761
KYD 0.976018
KZT 608.431194
LAK 25236.703583
LBP 104928.476501
LKR 352.393137
LRD 234.801086
LSL 20.796139
LTL 3.457885
LVL 0.708373
LYD 6.31237
MAD 10.55784
MDL 19.759046
MGA 5136.340942
MKD 61.557682
MMK 2458.723874
MNT 4196.670975
MOP 9.470422
MRU 46.440791
MUR 52.674928
MVR 18.042732
MWK 2030.567452
MXN 21.86138
MYR 4.959485
MZN 74.901921
NAD 20.796139
NGN 1792.250706
NIO 43.104117
NOK 11.857691
NPR 160.87643
NZD 1.951324
OMR 0.450279
PAB 1.171281
PEN 4.175471
PGK 4.910634
PHP 66.329739
PKR 332.779765
PLN 4.251766
PYG 9333.898979
QAR 4.281649
RON 5.065843
RSD 117.16512
RUB 92.163356
RWF 1691.307289
SAR 4.392132
SBD 9.763178
SCR 16.525032
SDG 703.228077
SEK 11.146267
SGD 1.498194
SHP 0.920282
SLE 26.290837
SLL 24556.898127
SOS 669.332238
SRD 43.625536
STD 24238.924258
SVC 10.248713
SYP 15226.253808
SZL 20.790047
THB 38.173933
TJS 11.273185
TMT 4.110479
TND 3.393194
TOP 2.742782
TRY 46.825826
TTD 7.938708
TWD 34.049039
TZS 3091.867482
UAH 49.00297
UGX 4201.552857
USD 1.171077
UYU 47.009055
UZS 14707.931763
VES 128.20187
VND 30617.801538
VUV 138.688767
WST 3.035441
XAF 655.096506
XAG 0.031929
XAU 0.000352
XCD 3.164894
XDR 0.81167
XOF 655.107679
XPF 119.331742
YER 283.575941
ZAR 20.838315
ZMK 10541.098103
ZMW 28.372731
ZWL 377.086235
  • CMSC

    0.0900

    22.314

    +0.4%

  • CMSD

    0.0250

    22.285

    +0.11%

  • RBGPF

    0.0000

    69.04

    0%

  • SCS

    0.0400

    10.74

    +0.37%

  • RELX

    0.0300

    53

    +0.06%

  • RIO

    -0.1400

    59.33

    -0.24%

  • GSK

    0.1300

    41.45

    +0.31%

  • NGG

    0.2700

    71.48

    +0.38%

  • BP

    0.1750

    30.4

    +0.58%

  • BTI

    0.7150

    48.215

    +1.48%

  • BCC

    0.7900

    91.02

    +0.87%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.13

    +0.15%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    9.85

    +0.1%

  • BCE

    -0.0600

    22.445

    -0.27%

  • RYCEF

    0.1000

    12

    +0.83%

  • AZN

    -0.1200

    73.71

    -0.16%

Grand Slam-chasing France confront Scotland hoodoo
Grand Slam-chasing France confront Scotland hoodoo

Grand Slam-chasing France confront Scotland hoodoo

Unbeaten France head to Murrayfield with an underdog mentality and a point to prove against bogey-side Scotland on Saturday as they continue their bid for a Six Nations Championship clean sweep.

Text size:

Fabien Galthie's in-form team are two-fifths of the way towards a first title and Grand Slam since 2010, after home wins against Italy (37-10) and Ireland (30-24).

Nevertheless, they are wary of a Scotland side who have beaten them in their last two Six Nations encounters -- and who will be seeking their first hat-trick of victories against France in the Championship for 64 years.

"We're going there with an underdog mentality and with a point to prove," said France's English-born defence coach Shaun Edwards, who has played a key role in moulding Les Bleus into a potentially world-beating force, 18 months out from a home World Cup.

"Scotland are the only side we haven't beaten in the Six Nations since Fabien and I took over. They've got the better of us on the last two occasions," he added.

Overcoming an outstanding Ireland side in Paris two weeks ago showed that France have maintained the momentum of their stunning 40-25 success against New Zealand at the Stade de France in November.

They arrive in Edinburgh as the only unbeaten nation left in the 2022 Six Nations and on a run of five straight victories in all competitions.

Scotland followed their stirring 20-17 home win against England with an abject performance in a 20-17 defeat by Wales in Cardiff.

Gregor Townsend's side, however, dashed France's Grand Slam hopes at Murrayfield in 2020, winning 28-17 after French prop Mohamed Haouas was sent off for punching Jamie Ritchie, and ended Les Bleus' 2021 title challenge with a dramatic 27-23 win in Paris, wing Duhan van der Merwe clinching victory with an 85th-minute try.

France did win an Autumn Nations Cup fixture 22-15 against a weakened Scotland team at an empty Murrayfield in November 2020 and they have yet to lose three successive Championship matches in a row to the Scots in the Six Nations era.

- 'Problems' -

Their last hat-trick of defeats to the Dark Blues dates back to the era of the Five Nations, in 1958.

"Scotland are a team that pose problems for us and we are aware of the level we will need to be at this time," said Galthie, who has kept changes to a minimum.

Jonathan Danty returns after an ankle injury to partner Gael Fickou in the centres, with Yoram Moefana moving out to the left wing to fill the place of Gabin Villiere, who has a fractured sinus.

Scotland coach Townsend, who played in France for Brive, Castres and Montpellier, has made three changes of personnel and a positional switch, all in the pack.

Glasgow's Rory Darge, capped coming off the bench against Wales, makes his first start at openside flanker in place of the injured Jamie Ritchie.

Magnus Bradbury comes in at No 8 and Zander Fagerson at tighthead prop. Sam Skinner moves from the back row to replace the injured Jonny Gray at lock.

Townsend described France as "one of the top two or three teams in the world" and urged his team to improve on a below-par showing in Wales.

"We've got to be better," the former Scotland fly-half said. "We know that the rugby we play, and aim to play, puts a lot of teams under pressure."

(K.Lüdke--BBZ)