Pass marks for effort, but Phil Godman's error-prone display at fly-half thrown into painful relief by tidy Trinh-Duc

Published on Sunday 7 February 2010 23:21

THERE was a article in a principality newspaper last week that suggested the famous Welsh fly-half factory had been hit by the recession and been forced to close its doors, such was the paucity of playmakers available to the national selectors.

This is from a country that can choose from the following stand-offs: the two-time British and Irish Lion Stephen Jones, James Hook who scored the finest Six Nations try of the first weekend and the Ospreys' outrageously gifted playmaker Dan Bigger, who is just 21 years old. These three are backed up by Gloucester's erratic but gifted Nicky Robertson and Ceri Sweeney of the Blues, both of whom are full Welsh internationals.

And yet the Welsh think that the cupboard is bare. We should be so lucky.

Yesterday, Phil Godman enjoyed one of his more constructive outings in a Scotland shirt but it was still the usual mishmash of the good, the bad and the downright awful. For every two things that the little playmaker tried one worked while the other created havoc in the home ranks.

On the plus side, Godman took the ball to the line and occasionally he tempted a couple of blue-shirted tacklers onto him to allow a little space for his colleagues elsewhere. It worked a treat in one early attack when he sent Johnnie Beattie charging towards the line only for Chris Cusiter to knock on when a clean pick-up would have resulted in a try under the posts.

A little later in the first half, Godman showed rare pace to earn Sean Lamont an inch of space on the left flank which the big winger took full advantage of, rounding his opposite number to make good ground before being felled from behind.

Throughout this match the French utilised an aggressive defence, throwing the man in the 13 channel up out of the line to cut off the outside pass. Most of the time when Godman looked up he saw a blue shirt zeroing in on the man he wanted to pass to. Sometimes he held onto the ball, sometimes he gave a hospital pass. At no time did he look like he'd worked out a tactic to counter the French ploy.

Nor did his replacement Chris Paterson. Late in the game Sean Lamont enjoyed a barnstorming run up the middle of the park before he was eventually collared. After a couple of phases Paterson passed to John Barclay who had Imanol Harinordoquy already on top of him. The flanker was scragged, the ball was turned over, yet again, and the Scots lost the moment and their momentum.

At least Godman made his tackles, well some of them. When faced with a charging French forward five metres from his own try line he felled him on the spot. Sadly in the wide open spaces he was less effective. Godman was the last line of defence when Mathieu Bastareaud scored his second try and, caught between two minds and two players, he ended up tackling no one. Although the giant French centre had a man in support on the outside, and Kelly Brown was gaining ground on him, the golden rule in rugby is to tackle the man with the ball and at least force him to make that last pass – something Godman failed to do.

In his defence, Godman continually tries to make things happen, he is not afraid to vary the attack with scissors and grubbers but his execution lets him down. He attempted a chip in the first half and was charged down by his opposite number Francois Trinh-Duc, who raced upfield and was only prevented from scoring thanks to some heroics from Sean Lamont. Not long after, Godman took too long to collect John Barclay's pass and was caught in possession. It wasn't the flanker's best pass but still his fly-half made an awful meal of getting it into his hands.

Twice at the start of the second half Godman made two of the many little mistakes that, on their own, are forgivable but taken as a whole they all add substantially to the heavy burden that a useful French XV were already exerting.

The fly-half has practised his kick-offs countless times and yet when he got the second half under way Godman failed to make the required ten metres. As a result France had a scrum on the half-way line. They attacked through the back row and minutes later were three points to the good after Scotland were adjudged to have sealed off the ball on the floor illegally. Godman then fired the ball towards the right-hand touchline but miscued his kick and sent it straight into the hands of Clement Poitrenaud. Andy Robinson had seen enough and Godman was replaced by Hugo Southwell with Paterson taking over the fly-half reins. The clock read 52 minutes.

New playmaker, same old story. Paterson's first act was to kick the ball into touch on the full to gift France an attacking line-out inside the Scottish half. Another little mistake but Scotland's game-shapers made far too many of them yesterday.

As for Trinh-Duc, he did his job quietly and efficiently with a notable lack of drama. Of course he was helped by playing behind that hugely impressive pack of French forwards but what Robinson would give to have someone equally anonymous and efficient. Dan Parks might yet get the call for Cardiff.

More Six Nations match reports:

• England 30 - 17 Wales: Martin Johnson salutes progress after England survive late fightback

• Ireland 29 - 11 Italy: Gordon D'Arcy knows better must come from Ireland

More on Scotland vs France:

• Stuart Bathgate: Robinson requires a creative spark to cause fireworks

• Iain Morrison: Pass marks for efforts but Godman's error-strewn display is thrown into painful relief by tidy Trinh-Duc

• Andy Robinson rues missed opportunities

• Mistakes haunt Scotland captain Cusiter

• France coach praises pack

• Scotland vs France: Player ratings