2020 Six Nations Championship – Scotland vs France Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Scotland vs France taking place? Sunday 8th March, 15:00
Where is Scotland vs France taking place? BT Murrayfield
What is the expected weather for Scotland vs France? 8c with a chances of showers in partly cloudy skies
What channel is Scotland vs France on? BBC 1
Where can I stream Scotland vs France? Scotland vs France can be streamed via BBC iPlayer
Where can I get tickets for Scotland vs France? Fans seeking tickets should visit the ticket section of the official rugby union website for each nation
What was the outcome in the last meeting? Scotland 17-14 France
THE TEAM NEWS
SCOTLAND
- Scotland put in a strong defensive display as they kept Italy scoreless in their last Six Nations outing but they will need to back that up as well as showing more with the ball in what will be a difficult contest against France.
- Despite that 0-17 success, there are three changes to the starting XV with Nick Haining returning to the side in place of Magnus Bradbury to make his second start at number eight while Fraser Brown comes in at hooker ahead of Stuart McInally.
- There is also a change in the second row with Grant Gilchrist earning a starting berth at the expense of Ben Toolis but the headline news for the Scots comes on the bench where fly-half Duncan Weir is included and he could make his first appearance for the national side since 2017.
FRANCE
- France remained on course to claim the Six Nations title as they edged Wales thanks to another strong display but they will be eager to maintain their form and move one match away from a potential Grand Slam by beating Scotland at Murrayfield.
- Despite three wins from three, Fabien Falthie has opted to make two changes to the side that started the match against Wales with Jefferson Poirot the new face in the front row as he comes in for the injured Cyril Baille.
- Teddy Thomas drops out of the squad altogether and he is replaced by Damian Penaud in a surprising move although there have been some question marks about his defensive efforts and that is likely to be the reason behind his omission.
THE PREDICTION
France are two wins away from claiming the Six Nations as well as a Grand Slam but face a potential banana skin as they head to Murrayfield to face Scotland. The weather could play a big part in this game with showers expected to make the surface wet and that may suit the Scots who may feel more comfortable defending in those conditions. None of Scotland’s three matches have produced more than 40 points so far and if the rain does hit, this one is likely to go under 42.5 points although the French should be able to come away with the victory regardless of the weather.
