The full three wins at the start of the Six Nations had unleashed the euphoria, but the visit to Murrayfield was a serious blow to France. The defeat against Scotland (28-17), the fourth in a row in Glasgow and the first since Fabien Galthié took over the team, not only ruined the Grand Slam options, but complicated the 'bleus' title options, now surpassed by England in the table.

The afternoon was completely twisted in the 36th minute, after a very committed melee for the French defense. Mohamed Haouas, pillar of Montpellier, threw a punch at Jamie Ritchie that New Zealand's Paul Williams did not hesitate to punish with a red card.

A decisive action for a France that tried to achieve rest despite the numerous adverse contigences. To the injury of his heel Camille Chat in the previous hours, the yellow early morning was added to François Cros and the precipitous goodbye of Romain Ntamack, who left the lawn in the 8th minute by the concussion protocol.

"A group under construction"

"We are going to learn from this defeat. We are a group under construction and we are going to remain united. We are going to assume it and work. It is difficult to do a hot analysis, but we have lacked things this afternoon. I want to turn the page," said Charles Ollivon, French captain.

The XV del Cardo built his victory with two essays by Sean Maitland in the added time of the first half and shortly after he returned from the break. The effectiveness of Adam Hastings, with three strokes of punishment, also kept the locals in the most complicated section of the first half, when Damian Penaud signed the first French trial.

In numerical superiority, the Scots buckled a partial 21-7, only made up by a later essay by Ollivon. The afternoon proved fateful for France, which must still fight a lot to certify its first Six Nations title since 2010. Ireland also joins the fight, which this weekend could not dispute its commitment to Italy because of the coronavirus.

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