For that all they love living and playing in the south of France, Jenny and Johnnie Beattie could be forgiven for having had enough of the entente cordiale in the past few days.
While the older brother was on the wrong end of a late French mugging at Murrayfield, badly damaging his ankle ligaments in the process, his sister was about to suffer the same fate in Cyprus. Given the circumstances, Montpellier's rugby players might be circumspect about adding insult to Johnnie's injury, but Jenny expects a severe ribbing when she returns to her club in the French city.
Beattie's own goal in Scotland's first Cyprus Women's Cup match allowed a France team featuring two of her team-mates to escape with a draw. She quickly made amends in the next game, scoring against the Netherlands in a 4-3 win, and when Scotland went on to beat Australia 4-2 in Larnaca it looked as if they had won Group B and earned a place in today's final against England.
Then France scored the third goal they needed in the 94th minute against the Netherlands and Beattie's side were relegated to playing South Korea for third and fourth place, also today. A win would still give Scotland their best finish in the annual tournament. "Any Scottish player would want to meet England in a final," Beattie, who played for Arsenal before her move to Montpellier, pointed out.
"That aspect of it is obviously disappointing, but it has been an awesome trip with the results we've had against higher ranked sides."
Scotland and South Korea have never met in a women's match before. The only match between the two countries was in 2002 when the Scots, under Berti Vogts, lost 4-1 with Scott Dobie scoring the goal.
"It will be really good to play against them because if we qualify for next year's World Cup in Canada they are the type of team we could be meeting," Beattie pointed out. "They are very technical and offer a contrast to the more physical teams we usually play."
Beattie has played alongside Ifeoma Dieke in two of the three Cyprus Cup games and says the return from long term injury of the Vittsjo central defender has been a huge boost to the team. "She is a player of huge talent who was in the GB team for the London Olympics," Beattie said.
"I hadn't played in central defence with her before but her communication is top class and her pace is unreal at the back.
"I'm 22 and haven't been playing in the position for that long so it is great experience being alongside her."
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