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France accounted for a determined Scottish outfit 36-18 in their opening Rugby League World Cup match at Canberra Stadium tonight.
With 12 players from Super League’s Catalans outfit, the Tricolores showed more class and skill than their less-fancied opponents.
Five-eighth Thomas Bosc led France effectively and with the occasional show of attacking flair but the foundation for the win was laid by the strong running of forward Adel Fellous.
Scotland trailed 18-6 at halftime but fought back in the second half and were denied a chance to level the match at 24-all by no-try ruling in the 66th minute.
The French then ran away with the game with Jerome Guisset bagging his second try of the night and Christophe Moly also scoring to seal the win.
French coach John Monie was happy with the win but said there was much improvement to be made before their next game against Fiji.
“We trained so much better than we played in the first half,” Monie said.
“We had some errors and wasn’t as good as we liked, and Scotland were very strong.”
While the ball skills of both sides were sloppy early on, both forward packs were keen to make their presence felt and the first to know it was French forward Eric Anselme who was taken from the field on a medicab in the 13th minute with concussion.
Despite the loss of a key forward, France were first to score through fullback Jared Taylor just three minutes later.
Scotland, despite their minnow status, weren’t about to roll over.
Winger Jon Steele was on the back of one of the first half’s few clean backline movements and dived over in the corner.
The booming boot of halfback and skipper Danny Brough made the score six-all but that would be the closest the Bravehearts would get to taking the lead all night.
Scotland did come out firing in the second half, however, and got back in the game with tries to Oliver Wilkes and Dean Colton but they had the wind knocked out of their sails when video referee Phil Cooley ruled a knock-on against five eighth John Duffy when he looked to have scored.
After the match Scottish coach Steve McCormack was unwilling to blame the referees for the result.
“There were a few things which we’ll look at again but you’ve got to react to conditions,” McCormack said.
“There was a couple of decisions which may have favoured us a little bit more but we’re certainly not going to use that as an excuse.”
Monie said Anselme had a heavy concussion but would possibly play next week.
Scotland’s only injury – also a concussion – was to former Penrith second rower Duncan MacGillivray.
McCormack raised concerns that referee Leon Williamson didn’t stop the game when MacGillivray went down close to the ruck and with France on the attack.
“When somebody’s lying on the floor like that with trainer and physios around them, you generally stop the game,” McCormack said.
French centre John Wilson scored as MacGillivray lay on the ground but, like McCormack said, there were no excuses.
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