FRANCE 19 SCOTLAND 16

RESULTS are not always all-important. In the Six Nations Championship, when draws and wins mean points in the table, Scotland would have kicked a stoppage-time penalty in the circumstances that they faced on Saturday night. In the context of a World Cup warm-up match, they were entirely right to go for the win by running the ball.

Avoiding defeat in Paris for the first time this century would have provided at most a very temporary satisfaction, like a large but unedifying meal. The teasing question would always have been there for the players: what if we had had the courage to go for the win?

As it was, they did have the courage, but not the composure, and so they failed in their bid to snatch victory at the death. But they can learn from that failure, and that lesson could be extremely useful should they find themselves in a similar situation at the World Cup itself. More useful, for sure, than the extra practice in kicking penalties under pressure would have been for Greig Laidlaw, who had already been successful with three of them, as well as the conversion of Tommy Seymour’s try.

The captain’s accuracy with the boot had eased Scotland into a 9-6 half-time lead, with France’s two penalties having been scored by Frederic Michalak. The French were denied a try just before half-time when Mathieu Bastareaud, their most dangerous player, was ruled to have passed forward to his fellow-centre Wesley Fofana, who did well to touch down before putting a foot in touch.

After Michalak had pulled them level with a third penalty not long after the restart, the home team were denied a second try - this time less contestably - when Yoann Huget was clearly in touch before passing to Alexandre Dumoulin. Both of those non-tries were indicative of the growing strength and self-belief of the French attack, but it was Scotland who claimed the first legitimate touchdown of the night when Seymour beat French full-back Scott Spedding to a crossfield kick from Laidlaw.

The scrum-half’s conversion put his team 16-12 ahead with around 15 minutes to play, and for a time Scotland defended magnificently to hold on to their lead. They took a pummelling in the scrum during that spell of play, and conceded several penalties in rapid succession to become in danger of conceding a penalty try.

David Denton was yellow-carded for going off his feet, and then with six or seven minutes to go Noa Nakaitaci, the French winger, forced his way over following a scrum. Morgan Parra’s conversion put France three points ahead, but there was still time for Scotland to hit back.

Mark Bennett, surely now the team’s most dangerous attacker, burst through the middle only to be held up a few yards short of the line. Matt Scott then threw a pass into touch when it looked easier to find a team-mate, and finally there was that chance to draw level with a very kickable penalty.

The result was just about right, because France were superior in key aspects of the game, notably the lineout for nearly all of the match, and the scrum for a large portion of the second half. For all that the French jumpers caused problems on Scotland’s throw, Vern Cotter’s team know they have to do better than they did here in the lineout. As for the scrummage, the return of Dickinson should restore the solidity that was evident in the previous game against Italy.

The best element of Scotland’s game was their defence, which with the exception of the French try was a thing of brutal beauty. If they learn to finish off their own moves with the same ruthlessness they display in stifling opponents’ attacks, they can become a danger to anyone.