SCOTLAND did their best to spoil the party – but it was France popping the champagne corks after becoming Six Nations champions.
Gregor Townsend’s men put in a brilliant shift in the first half to keep the contest – and the championship – in the balance.
France players celebrate winning the Six Nations[/caption]
Gregor Townsend during the big game in Paris[/caption]
But France went through the gears after the break to blow their visitors away and claim the trophy in front of 78,000 delighted fans.
It was another case of what might have been for Scotland in this tournament, although few teams can live with France in this form.
England’s thrashing over Wales earlier in the day had seem them move temporarily top of the table.
But France didn’t hang around in their bid to shift them with Thomas Ramos knocking over an early penalty.
Scotland tried to hit back with Finn Russell spinning a pass wide to Darcy Graham.
The winger, though, spilled the ball and France sped off on the counter attack.
Romain Ntamack looked set to score only to be denied by a brilliant Matt Fagerson tackle.
Scotland, though, were soon temporarily down to 14 men for Jamie Ritchie hauling down the French maul.
And the home side quickly capitalised with their first try of the match.
Gael Fickou wriggled through a couple of attempted tackles before passing to Yoram Moefana.
And the centre was able to cross the line at the second time of asking.
Scotland bounced back to get into scoring position at the other end.
The chance seemed to be gone – only for Peato Mauvaka to launch into Ben White on the ground.
It looked a red card all day long.
But the TMO and English ref Matthew Carley decided it only merited a yellow – and the disciplinary bunker didn’t upgrade it either.
Russell knocked over the penalty to at least get Scotland on the scoreboard.
White, luckily, wasn’t injured in the process.
And the scrum-half then saved his team at the other end with a brilliant diving slide to deny opposite number Maxime Lucu a near certain try.
France, though, kept up the pressure and Ramos knocked over another penalty to become France’s all-time record points scorer.
Ramos scoring his team’s second try[/caption]
Scotland looked dangerous whenever they got into the French half.
And they soon landed a try to send the pockets of Scots inside the Stade de France into raptures.
Russell was the creator, picking out Graham with a brilliant pass and the wee wizard danced his way through to score.
Scotland had stemmed the tide and it wasn’t long before they were level.
France lost another man to the bin – Jean-Baptiste Gros for multiple team offences – and Russell made another easy three points.
But the lead didn’t last long in this frantic, see-saw first half.
Ramos kicked his team back in front.
Scotland then thought they had landed a stunning second try right before the break.
Blair Kinghorn got them up the park with a blazing run from deep.
Townsend before the Six Nations decider in Paris[/caption]
And when play was recycled, Russell found Tom Jordan who powered over.
But Kinghorn had landed in touch before passing inside– and the score was disallowed.
That was a huge blow and France capitalised on it early in the second half.
A Scotland attack broke down and Romain Ntamack sped up the pitch before passing to Louis Bille-Biarrey to score.
That looked like being the game-winning moment but Scotland kept probing and another Russell penalty kept them within touching distance.
France, though, emptied their bench and their fresh forwards soon created the platform for Ramos to score.
And when Moefana bagged his second in the corner, that was the cue for the France fans to get the party started.
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