Scots count on Glasgow connection to upset France

Chris Cusiter believes a Scotland team containing eight of his Glasgow team-mates can upset France at Murrayfield on Sunday.

With Glasgow currently topping the Celtic League, Scotland coach Andy Robinson has gone for form in his selection as he seeks to follow up November’s shock defeat of Australia with a victory over the Six Nations favourites.

Cusiter, who captains the side in the absence of first-choice scrum-half Mike Blair, said the high number of Glasgow players should make Scotland more competitive.

“There’s a level of familiarity about the Glasgow guys; we’ve been playing well all season,” he said. “But the point is, this is the Six Nations and it’s a step up. From one to 22, we have to step up our game. Playing as we do in the Celtic League won’t be good enough on Sunday.”

Cusiter goes into the match with a point to prove having failed to set the world on fire during two seasons at French club Perpignan, although he insists that the experience has made him a better player.

“They play some of the best rugby in the world and I think, having played out there, I maybe understand a bit more about their mentality and certainly their language,” he said.

Scotland demonstrated in the 9-8 win over Australia that they are capable of defending ferociously but try-scoring remains a problem and Robinson will be looking to Cusiter and fly-half Phil Godman to create more openings against the French.

“We were disappointed only to score a couple in the autumn,” Cusiter added. “But we know with the attacking players that we have and the moves that we have, we are capable of beating any defence.”

Cusiter will go head-to-head with 21-year-old Clermont Auvergne scrum Morgan Parra, who has been promoted to the starting line-up as a result of Julien Dupuy being suspended for gouging.

The French are also without injured forwards Romain Millo-Chluski and Sebastien Chabal with head coach Marc Lievremont having retained only five players from the XV that started a 39-12 thrashing by New Zealand in November.

That display typified the inconsistency which has dogged the French in recent years and which captain Thierry Dusautoir admits must be eliminated if his side are to mark the 100th anniversary of France’s debut in the tournament by living up their status as favourites.

France won the last of their 16 titles in 2007, and their last Grand Slam came in 2004.

“We have certainly improved, everyone can see that,” said Dusautoir.

“We have beaten the best teams in the world last year (away against the All Blacks and at home against the Springboks last November) but unfortunately we have shown no consistency in our results,” the flanker added.

“That is what appears to be our greatest defect. It is imperative to be consistent in order to win the tournament.”

The match will mark the return from the international wilderness of Mathieu Bastareaud, who has not played for France since he falsely claimed to have been beaten up by thugs on last year’s tour of New Zealand.

He subsequently admitted to having fallen over drunk in his hotel room and was hospitalised after attempting suicide on his return to France.

Given that context, there is understandable concern about how Bastareaud will react to his return to the spotlight.

“He has to play to his strengths and not ask himself too many questions,” Lievremont said. “We just hope that what happened several months ago has made him grow up and mature.”