SCOTLAND PRODUCED THEIR best performance in years to record victory over France for the first time in a decade earlier.
Vern Cotter’s side ran in three tries to two as they notched up back-to-back wins in the tournament for the first time in three years.
All in all, it was a hugely significant and memorable day for the Scots at Murrayfield, and they thoroughly deserved their win after conjuring some moments of pure brilliance.
This is the story of the game.
Les Blues’ silky off-loading
Scotland charged into the French 22 from the off, but on the counter attack the visitors broke clear through the middle.
The ball was worked out to winger Virimi Vakatawa, who fed inside to Fofana and he found skipper Guilhem Guirado at his shoulder to charge over for the opening score.
The Scots hit back
Against the run of play, Scotland had their noses in front at 6-5 and it brought a period of sustained pressure from the home side despite the loss of fly-half Finn Russell after a blow to the head.
Duncan Taylor first punched a hole in French defence and then Richie Gray powered to just short of the line. Laidlaw spun the ball out from the breakdown and Stuart Hogg jinked his way over.
Taylor’s 60m dash
Four minutes later Taylor broke clear from near his own 22-metre line, puncturing some sloppy French defending and racing the length of the field to touch down for a superb individual try.
This time Laidlaw converted and suddenly it was 18-5 for the home side.
The French weren’t going anywhere
France needed a quick response before half-time and they got it right on the whistle as Fickou darted over after a multi-phase action.
Pure genius
Two charging runs from Richie Gray and Willem Nel to just short of the line fixed the French defence and Tim Visser dived over in the corner on a tap-on pass from Hogg when the ball was swung left.
That winning moment
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