Camille Lopez scored all France’s points as they edged an attritional RBS 6 Nations encounter with Scotland in Paris.
Lopez’s boot proved the difference in a closely-fought match in which the resurgent visitors went toe-to-toe with their hosts, winning many of the statistical battles except the one that really matters – the scoreline.
Scotland have become notoriously slow starters in this Championship in recent years while, in contrast, France have never lost an RBS 6 Nations opener at home – and history books record they’ve won 13 of 14 opening-weekend encounters with Scotland.
And, if statistics are your thing, Scotland’s last win in Paris was 16 years ago, the year of their most recent title success in the final Five Nations Championship.
But Vern Cotter’s team have new strength in depth and boosted their confidence in the autumn by pushing the All Blacks close and beating Argentina.
In contrast Philippe Saint-Andre’s France won have won just four of their last ten fixtures, so Lopez’s second minute penalty, after Blair Cowan’s infringement, will have settled the nerves.
Lopez, in his first RBS 6 Nations start, looked confident at outside half, threading a second straightforward penalty just five minutes after Scottish captain Greig Laidlaw had levelled the scores with a kick of his own.
Scottish fly-half Finn Russell spurned a gilt-edged drop goal chance before Lopez added another penalty in what was becoming an open, expansive and entertaining encounter.
And Scotland deservedly headed into the break just one point behind after a flowing move that underlined their attacking threat and new-found swagger.
Stuart Hogg and Alex Dunbar were denied by some frantic defending but quick thinking saw the ball switch from flank to flank in four passes, Dougie Fife scoring his first try in a Scotland shirt on the stroke of half-time, with Laidlaw’s extras hitting the post.
Scottish coach Cotter has an inside knowledge of French rugby from his eight years at Clermont and knew they’d emerge strongly from the restart.
However, Scotland’s defence stayed resolute, putting France under pressure at the breakdown and winning their share of tackles.
But in such a close encounter, one mistake can be pivotal and when Scotland lost a line out and then Hogg cleared the ball on the full, the lost territory was to prove decisive when Lopez added his fourth penalty to restore a four-point advantage.
Scotland were now firmly on the defensive as the unfamiliar red shirts of Les Bleus started to dominate, the crowd and momentum urging and pushing them forward.
Lopez saw a penalty clatter against the post while Johnnie Beattie saw yellow to reduce the visitors to 14 at the worst time possible.
But the numerical disadvantage seemed to revitalise Scotland, who arguably enjoyed their best spell of the half when Beattie was off the field.
However, when Yoann Huget claimed an interception and raced towards the line it seemed they’d finally been breached, only for Mark Bennett’s desperate cover tackle to dislodge the ball from the French winger.
The final minutes saw both sides throw caution aside but when referee Nigel Owens again penalised Scotland at the breakdown, the impressive Lopez converted the penalty to give the hosts a decisive seven-point lead with just seconds remaining.
