Scotland v France: Our rugby writers give their predictions

DAVID FERGUSON

There is only one way this game will go if the French pack dominate the scrum and lineout in the way they did last year, and there is little doubt that the World Cup finalists come to Murrayfield as favourites as Scotland fight for a first win in the championship.

But is it all over before it has begun? Of course not. It never is with Scotland and what is intriguing about this game is how the French squad have spent the past three weeks either kicking their heels or playing for their clubs after the Ireland match fell into the Parisian deep-freeze.

They lack match fitness and Philippe Saint-Andre, their new coach, is worried about the fact that scotland have been playing games with the ball in play far longer than his charges are used to, and that the demands of the French Top 14 are such that many of his experienced stars have been playing virtually without a rest for over a year.

If Scotland get parity in the scrum, Jim Hamilton, Richie Gray and Dave Denton hit their straps in the lineout and they all work like mad-men at the breakdown, Scotland can win this game. It will require great defence, astute rugby from the Edinburgh half-backs and regular involvement for a back three and Stuart Hogg in particular, but a home win in a full Murrayfield is achievable.

Prediction: Scotland 18 France 16 (last-gasp drop-goal from Hogg or Duncan Weir wins it).

TOM ENGLISH

There are some bizarre mixed messages in Andy Robinson’s team to play France on Sunday. He’s gone with Stuart Hogg at full-back plus the dynamism of Greig Laidlaw at stand-off and yet he has picked two bangers in his midfield in Graeme Morrison and Sean Lamont.

Robinson hasn’t so much gone for the traditional bludgeon and rapier combo in the centre, more a twosome that promises bludgeon and more bludgeon. Where on earth is Matt Scott, the clever Edinburgh centre? He’s not even on the bench. Crazy.

Morrison and Lamont will pose a physical threat to the French, but beyond that? You really have to wonder. Robinson wants to play a wide game and yet he picks two centres whose great weakness is their use of ball in hand. Robinson’s thinking seems confused. Nobody ever went broke by backing against Scotland in the Six Nations so the smart money will be on the French. The pressure, though, is all on Robinson. No wins from two this season and only two from 12 overall in his Scotland Six Nations campaigns. It’s a record that had better improve - and quickly.

IAIN MORRISON

The World Cup finalists take on a Scotland side that failed to get beyond the group stage.

The clues are obvious enough for Inspector Clouseau to recognise and they all point

to a French win not least because they have only lost one in the new millennium.

The Scots have a workmanlike pack and a decent midfield defence. France should edge the set piece,

certainly the scrum, but the home side will want to boss the breakdowns with two openside flankers in the

team.

If France bring their best game on the road, which has not always been the case, they should prove too

powerful. If the visitors are below par then the Scots’ sense of injustice, the idea that their Herculean efforts have not been properly rewarded in this competition so far, is a powerful motivation to cause an upset.