Allan Massie: Scotland can't rely on kicks, because nine points won't win many international matches

Published on Monday 8 February 2010 22:11

IT WAS neither one thing nor the other. The old evening paper headlines –Bannockburn or Flodden – could be put away. France looked very good without having to hit their best form.

• Scotland's Chris Patterson hits a penalty during Scotland's defeat to France

Scotland looked good in patches but never quite managed to take off. That said, the first half at Murrayfield was more entertaining and offered more good rugby from both teams than either of Saturday's internationals.

Comfort lies in the reflection that we may have been beaten by the best team in the championship, discomfort in the thought we have now lost one of our only two home matches in this tournament, and the fear that if we can't win at Murrayfield, we are going to find it very hard indeed to win in Cardiff, Rome and Dublin.

Our inability to score tries must have Andy Robinson and Gregor Townsend tearing out such hair as either of them has left. One way of summing up the match would be to say that each side had four good opportunities to score a try. France took two of the four on offer; we took none.

Our best opportunity also revealed the difference between the two teams. When Johnny Beattie, who was one of our two or three best players on the day, thrust deep into the French 22, and tried to off-load to Chris Cusiter coming up fast, the pass was a bit scrambled and the captain couldn't hold it.

Even at the moment one thought that if it had been the marvellous Imanol Harinordoquy, the ball would have been safely presented, and Cusiter would have scored.

France were always sharper, principally because their delivery of the ball from the breakdown was quicker and more accurate.

Consequently the excellent young French halves, Morgan Parra and Francois Trinh-Duc, had an easier time of it than their more experienced counterparts, Cusiter and Phil Godman.

Godman, as usual, did some things very nicely indeed – it was his neat switch which freed Beattie for that run, and one beautifully timed pass to Sean Lamont made space for the winger. But then, as usual, he did some things not at all well, not least a second-half restart which went full-toss into touch and put France on the front foot.

This was the second match in succession in which the fly-half was replaced early. One wonders if he will again be chosen to start.

If the scrum was under pressure, it wasn't overwhelmed, at least until Moray Low was taken off and Alasdair Dickinson, already in difficulties in his natural loose-head position, was shifted to the other side, where he was still less happy.

In general the forwards held their own fairly well, but were never really on top – a fair description of the match as a whole.

Attention now turns to Cardiff, where Wales, like us, will be coming off a defeat.

Their performance at Twickenham was as much of a curate's egg as ours – but they did score two tries, both of them good ones. If they showed little to frighten anyone at Twickenham, one must expect them to be better in Cardiff, especially if they make changes at half-back where Gareth Cooper and Stephen Jones were inept.

The Scottish selection will depend in part on how many of the walking wounded are deemed fit. It might be more ticklish still if the A team hadn't lost heavily in Belfast – a result which suggests that Sunday's team will be given a second chance.

Still, one wonders: if, for instance Chris Paterson is thought capable of playing the last half-hour of a match at fly-half, why not start him there? Euan Murray will doubtless return and Allan Jacobsen come in at loose-head. Otherwise it would be nice to know how close to full fitness Ross Rennie is thought to be. One experienced internationalist recently described him as "the best player in Scotland".

If he is fit, might it be worth playing two genuine open-sides, given the importance now of not only competing but winning quick ball at the breakdown? Omitting Kelly Brown would be harsh, because he was one of our better players, but, given our deficiencies in attack, we have to do whatever we can to get men first to the tackle area and win quick ball.

There were things to encourage one on Saturday. The team did play with verve and pace. Chris Paterson, the Evans brothers and Sean Lamont all had moments when they looked dangerous.

The defence was generally good. The fact is that you must expect a team like France usually to score a couple of tries a game and kick at least a couple of goals, and so you have to look to score 20 points to beat them. Indeed consistent success in the Six Nations requires you to average at least 20 points a match. We haven't done this for years.

We didn't lose because of Bastareaud's two tries, but because we couldn't cross the French line ourselves and so once again had to rely on Paterson's trusty boot. But the French gave him only three shots at goal, and, though he took them all, nine points won't win many internationals.