France avoided not winning a championship game for the first time since 1969 as they beat Scotland 23-16 thanks to two tries in the second half. Their disappointing campaign sees them ending bottom of the table however, for the first time since 1999.
France needed to win by 16 points to relegate Ireland to the wooden spoon, but a late Tim Visser try sealed their fate as they ended the competition with just one win and a draw.
Pre-tournament favourites for many, France showed glimpses of their potency in the second half as stars Wesley Fofana and Maxime Medard helped them end their seven-match winless streak.
Scotland on the other hand achieved their best championship result since 2006, finishing third on the overall table with many positives to take away from the campaign.
A Freddie Michalak scuffle with Lions hopeful Stuart Hogg soured affairs a little, before the enigmatic flyhalf left the field with a bad shoulder dislocation, to a standing ovation.
“We’re last in the Six Nations and we have to accept that and face up to it. The game was like our tournament: complicated,” said France coach Philippe Saint-Andre.
“The second half was better and we started to get back into the game and scored two very good tries. But we missed two other good chances.
“This team is young, it has a soul and fights. But it lacks control, collectively and individually, and you need control and patience when you play rugby at the highest level. The objective is to be ready for the 2015 World Cup. I think we will learn enormously from this Six Nations.
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Time: 5:05
Credit: rbs6nations
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