Scotland team to face France

February 01, 2011

Scotland team to face France

Posted by Editor on February 1, 2011 11:37 AM | 15 comments | Print | E-mail author

Richie Gray will make his first Six Nations start

Four Glasgow Warriors are in Scotland's starting XV to face France in Paris on Saturday.

Max Evans, Richie Gray, Alastair Kellock and John Barclay start in Scotland's Six Nations opener while their fellow Warriors - Moray Low, Dougie Hall, Richie Vernon and Ruaridh Jackson are on the bench.

Scotland

15 Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais)

14 Nikki Walker (Ospreys)
13 Joe Ansbro (Northampton Saints)
12 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
11 Max Evans (Glasgow Warriors)

10 Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues)
9 Rory Lawson (Gloucester)

1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh)
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
3 Euan Murray (Northampton Saints)
4 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
5 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors)
6 Nathan Hines (Leinster)
8 Kelly Brown (Saracens)
7 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors)

Substitutes

16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors)
17 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors)
18 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors)
19 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh)
20 Mike Blair (Edinburgh)
21 Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Sean Lamont (Scarlets)

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Andrew Small (England) and Stuart Terheege (England)
TMO: Giulio de Santis (Italy)

Posted by russ on February 1, 2011 04:04 PM | Reply to this comment

IMHO thats a no bad team - plenty to assist with the bench too!

Posted by sunday5 on February 1, 2011 04:21 PM | Reply to this comment

Not a bad side. Bit concerned there's so many players out of position and we're pretty weak in the centre. Hoping for a good game but I can't see us winning this one even if that big bastardeau isn't playing...

Posted by Hugues on February 1, 2011 04:59 PM | Reply to this comment

After the heavy lost V Australia, the French will be "morts de faim"
I will support Scotland, a bit afraid though.
The Scottish front row will suffer..., even if I like very much Kellock and Gray, the French second row pair is much more powerfull.
It will be hard for hines to compete with the pace of the French back row unit.
The French back line is not a finished article either, so we never know.
If Scotland can keep tight score board at half time, France will be fragile and ready for mistakes.
I hope the 6N is still the tournament with surprise and excitment.

Good luck to the Warriors, and Come on Scotland!!!

Posted by ballinj on February 1, 2011 05:14 PM | Reply to this comment

The French team is very conservative and eminently beatable however not with this Scottish team.

The French will be targeting Hines and the channel between 10 & 12 - De luca is not good enough going forward or defensively to justify his selection.

Once again Scotland go into a 6 nations tournament with hope only to be let down by a shocking team selection. AR has been fantastic for the Scotland team however at times he shows that he is an excellent coach but is perhaps not the best selector.

Posted by AJPatterson on February 1, 2011 06:33 PM | Reply to this comment

Not sure, looks like a team specifically chosen to play a certain tactical plan. Not sure what the plan is but the back line looks a lot better defensively than some previous teams.

It should be fascinating to see how the game turns out.

Posted by hp18 on February 1, 2011 09:33 PM | Reply to this comment

Ok then, who would you play at 12? Shug, Houston, Grove ....Vernon!

Posted by ballinj on February 1, 2011 11:01 PM | Reply to this comment

i think if you want to be defensive then you go with Grove however if looking for a more offensive look then go with Jackson at inside centre.

Everytime I have seen De Luca he has moments when he just switches off and with Parks not being the best tackler in the world added to which the French team selection suggests that the French are going to target Parks with Traille in as a 2nd 5/8 and Rougerie in at centre then DP and NDL are going to have a very busy afternoon.

Posted by hp18 on February 1, 2011 11:28 PM | Reply to this comment

Grove and NDL are probably even in defence Nick however might get us some go forwards. Jackson should NEVER be played at I/C against a team like France. At least not until he settles in his primary position.

Posted by Garyipa on February 2, 2011 01:28 PM | Reply to this comment

Jackson as I/C FFS

Posted by sunday5 on February 2, 2011 02:47 PM | Reply to this comment

Agreed.

Posted by Garyipa on February 1, 2011 05:35 PM | Reply to this comment

NDL is more than capable defensively its his mate at 10 that we need to worry about

Posted by sunday5 on February 2, 2011 04:05 PM | Reply to this comment

Agreed on the Jackson at 12 point. That would be a horrible afternoon but how can you complain about Parks? Yes, his defensive game is....limited (ahem) but in all seriousness who the hell else is there?

Posted by Hugues on February 3, 2011 05:37 PM | Reply to this comment

Sorry but Jackson is too light to play IC at test level!

Posted by hmu05744 on February 4, 2011 12:02 PM | Reply to this comment

does anyone else think that danelli should have been worth a shout at wing with max in centre with ansbro instead of ndl

i actually think that ndl is not too bad though he is prone to a lapse in concentration.

woudl rather have the power of daneilli in the back line so that we can always go forward against their blitz defence

Posted by sunday5 on February 4, 2011 02:47 PM | Reply to this comment

I wouldn't like to see Max at 12 or 13 against France again as he was utterly flattened there last year and now I think of it the same thing happened against the AB's in November. I don't think he's big enough to play there in test matches. Just my opinion but I like him on the wing for this one.