Scots simply no match for France

• Lucy Millard: The Scotland centre scored her side's only try against the French Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA

DESPITE a strong second half performance, Scotland suffered a second consecutive defeat here at the Women's World Cup as they went down 17-7 to France.

It was the French who put the first score on the board after four minutes. Having kept the Scots hemmed in the 22, France won possession after the Scots kicked the ball straight into touch. France won the lineout and ran the ball into Scottish territory. Stand-off Gaelle Mignot produced a wonderful offload to the direct and strong running full-back, Elodie Poublan, who crossed for the try. The conversion attempt, from Aurlie Bailon, went wide to make it 0-5.

After 15 minutes, an impressive break by winger Cline Allainmat was clinically offloaded inside to flanker Marie Charlotte Hebel who crossed for the try, Bailon missing the conversion.

Midway through the first half, the Scots picked up their game as centre Lucy Millard made a break for the halfway line, booting the ball which cannoned into a French player and rebounded for a Scotland lineout. Just before half time, France won the ball and sent it wide, straight into the grasp of centre Sandrine Agricole who wove through the gap and crossed the line, the try successfully converted by Bailon, for a half time score of 0-17.

The Scots registered their first points in the opening minute of the second half as quick lineout ball to hooker, Sarah-Louise Walker, found its way to Millard who churned the turf around the French to score, the try converted by Nicola Halfpenny to make it 7-17. Minutes later winger Celia Hawthorn was edged over the touchline, en route surely to the tryline, with a knee injury ending her Test outing and she was replaced by Katy Green.

Scotland: N Halfpenny (Melrose); C Hawthorn (Edinburgh University), L Millard (Team Northumbria), V Fitzpatrick (Royal High Cougars), L Douglas (London Wasps); E Kerr (London Wasps), L Dalgliesh (Royal High Cougars); H Lockhart (Hillhead / Jordanhill), S-L Walker (Watsonians), B Dickens (Murrayfield Wanderers), S Brown (Richmond), L Wheeler (Darlington Mowden Park), L Reid (Royal High Cougars, capt), R Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers), D Kennedy (Worcester). Substitutes: G McCord (Royal High Cougars), A Macdonald (Royal High Cougars), L Moffat (Murrayfield Wanderers), R Murphy (Edinburgh University), T Griffith (Royal High Cougars), S Johnston (Hillhead / Jordanhill), K Green (Murrayfield Wanderers) on for Hawthorn.

France: E Poublan; C Allainmat, S Agricole, L Godiveau, C Ladagnous; A Bailon, M A Yahe; S Loyer, G Mignot, C Barthelemy, C Audebert, C Bouisset, A Vaupre, M C Hebel, S Rabier (capt). Substitutes: C Ollivier, N Lefeuvre, M Andre, C Canal, S Provost, A Parra, F Horta.

Referee: D Keane (Ireland).

Att: 2,500.