Ramos steals it as Scotland go close

SCOTLAND the brave produced a superb performance in defeat in the sultry heat of Saint Etienne but were finally undone with a late penalty by Tomas Ramos

- BRENDAN GALLAGHER

As World Cup warm-up games go it was a cracker with Scotland finishing much stronger and fitter at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. They refused to let France dictate and run riot and all sorts of players put up their hands for squad selection before Gregor Townsend makes his final decision later this week.

Scotland have been slow starters in recent years but exploded out of the blocks here against a France side in which many of their big names were playing their first rugby in anger for a long time and looking a tad rusty.

The result was five minutes of high intensity, top quality rugby which rocked the French back and eventually saw Blair Kinghorn fling out a long pass for Kyle Steyn to score in the corner, Finn Russell adding a fine conversion.

Russell was on target again soon after with a 35m penalty as Scotland consolidated a promising start before France finally started to click. Scotland defended well with flankers Rory Darge and Jamie Ritchie contesting everything at the breakdown but the pressure was telling with a series of penalties before Ramos chipped over a second penalty.