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Thursday
15:00
Six NationsFranceScotland

'They have crazy depth': Top 14 champion Richie Gray warns Scotland about understrength France

By PA
(Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)

Scotland forward Richie Gray claims the “crazy depth” of French rugby will ensure their trip to Paris is no less difficult despite the home side’s coronavirus outbreak. Sunday’s game will go ahead as scheduled following a decision by Guinness Six Nations organisers.

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Ten France players tested positive but two clear rounds of testing saw the game get the green light. The Six Nations leaders, who have beaten Ireland and Italy away from home, will be missing star scrum-half and 2020 player of the championship Antoine Dupont and captain Charles Ollivon.

Nine of the 23-man squad that sent Ireland spinning to a 15-13 defeat have since been found to have contracted the virus. However, Scotland second row Gray knows from his seven years in France that the absences will not seriously weaken the home side.

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Nigel Owens guests on the latest RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson

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Nigel Owens guests on the latest RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson

The former Toulouse and Castres lock said: “The challenge will still be just as tough. French rugby, they have crazy depth. A good example of that is the England game in the autumn, when I think it was dubbed the French third team. But they went over to England and almost pulled off a victory.

“They can cough up a lot of players and there is a lot of talent. Any time you play France in France it’s going to be a really tough challenge. So we need to be prepared for that.”

Gregor Townsend’s Scotland are looking to end a long wait for an away win in Paris after banishing poor records in Wales and England in recent months. Gray said: “It was an opportunity if they didn’t have players missing.

“It’s been 1999 since we last won there, so it’s a great opportunity to go over there, produce a performance and hopefully get a win. But everyone is aware of how tough it will be.”

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Comments on RugbyPass

N
NE 32 minutes ago
Men's 15s World Player of the Year was only a two horse race

Oh dear, how the truth hurts.

43 Go to comments
B
Baksteen 47 minutes ago
Jérôme Daret: 'He's won everything, except the Olympics'

world rugby jou rowwe bliksems

4 Go to comments
C
Cantab 50 minutes ago
Joe Schmidt: 'You've got to be able to learn to roll with those punches'

Perhaps you should get Eddie Jones back? NZ would find a place for Schmidt as their backs coach

9 Go to comments
C
Chiefs Mana 52 minutes ago
Joe Schmidt: 'You've got to be able to learn to roll with those punches'

"The Kiwi" is the only reason a grand slam was even being mentioned, you should enjoy not being the laughing stock of world rugby like you were last year.

9 Go to comments
O
OJohn 57 minutes ago
Joe Schmidt: 'You've got to be able to learn to roll with those punches'

It's never the kiwis fault is it ? You're all so perfect. Except when it comes to self awareness.

He's getting paid a million dollars a year by Rugby Australia to be amazing. He's not. He's hopeless.

9 Go to comments
C
Cantab 1 hour ago
Joe Schmidt: 'You've got to be able to learn to roll with those punches'

Sorry but kiwi Schmidt is not to blame for Aussies debacle. He is doing his best to make a purse out of a sows ear. His team does not have either the cattle or the depth to consistently perform against better sides. He has done well with other sides so is not a poor coach.

9 Go to comments
A
AA 1 hour ago
'England actually looked better with Fin Smith at 10'

Fl

Are you still flogging the dead horse .

You could at least admit Marcus got the twickers crowd on their feet and was lighting up the play .

Come the 6 nations you will see if Ford is any longer in the frame.

The game has moved on .

Ford old hat .

Fin came on when japan were done for .

Easy play then but he did look the part .

Unlike ford who couldn't hit a barn door and threw a hopeless pass v Aus who won 7 points from it .

Come on .

Admit you are wrong .

3 Go to comments
E
EatBreath7s 1 hour ago
Former Ireland centre Brendan Mullin jailed for three years

FIFA might be interested in him as CFO.....

4 Go to comments
C
CR 1 hour ago
Joe Schmidt: 'You've got to be able to learn to roll with those punches'

True, they need to tackle better, but also Scotland put them under a lot of pressure and 90% of that pressure came from basic errors. Like missing your kick offs, clearing kicks only going 5-10meters. Missing lineout jumpers on the throw etc.

9 Go to comments
A
AA 1 hour ago
Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick deserves the benefit of the doubt at this juncture. Just.'

Borthwick was the only person to have stayed with Eddie jones after most left .

So yes man comes to mind and not someone who is a strong character with a vision .


He picked the backroom staff and players and made the decisions to replace players at the crucial moments in the game that transpired to be fatally wrong . He resorted to safety first approach at the death .

Marcus has had to adapt to three no 9,s . Spencer should never have been dropped, as it proved to be .

Fin Smith should have been in the 23 and certainly not Ford .

A clear out is way past time and I do hope Borthwick can see this .

Ugo is rightfully annoyed at the utter wastefulness of the England set up .

We should not be talking like this but enjoying englands success .

6 Go to comments
H
HU 1 hour ago
Men's 15s World Player of the Year was only a two horse race

in todays media biosphere the way to be succesful is by writing some fact-free drivel with lots of nonsensical pretences .....

43 Go to comments
H
HU 1 hour ago
Former Ireland centre Brendan Mullin jailed for three years

if he could add some sexual assault to his register, he might be up for a high position in the new US government ....

4 Go to comments
O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour ago
Ben Youngs voices exactly what every England fan is thinking

To be harsh, England have no right to expect a cushy schedule. In Nov 2002 we faced NZ Aus and SA and found a way to win all three. I'm not saying for a minute that this England team is close to Johnno's side but you don't improve by taking the easy option. Fix the defence, the players need to work on their individual skill sets because they are lacking.

3 Go to comments
J
JD 2 hours ago
'They look like schoolboys' - NZ media go in hard on Warren Gatland and Wales

Very unfortunate situation. They're right about a total failure to develop young players but kicking the Welsh team when they're down is a bit cruel.

2 Go to comments
L
LL 2 hours ago
Men's 15s World Player of the Year was only a two horse race

Hogwash

43 Go to comments
B
Bob Salad II 2 hours ago
Joe Schmidt: 'You've got to be able to learn to roll with those punches'

Basic errors? They missed 30+ tackles. England did the same and got slaughtered for it.

9 Go to comments
A
Andrew Nichols 2 hours ago
Wallace Sititi: 'No, not in a million years... just crazy to say'

AB Captain inside 5 yrs

4 Go to comments
S
SadersMan 3 hours ago
Top 14 strugglers raid Moana Pasifika for Samoa hooker Sama Malolo

Meat market what else is new?

1 Go to comments
J
JS 4 hours ago
Men's 15s World Player of the Year was only a two horse race

All 4 nominations should have been Boks.Being real now,sorry.Next year maybe all the other teams will maybe preduce real stars.

43 Go to comments
S
SC 4 hours ago
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In 2025, Tupou Vaa'i could be the All Blacks answer to PSDT at blindside flanker. He has the height, weight, athleticism to play 6 at the highest level of test rugby.

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