As Scotland reflected on what might have been had they kept their heads against Ireland at the weekend, France were descending into full revolution mode in the wake of an embarrassing capitulation at Twickenham.

It will be fascinating to see whose wounds have healed the fastest when both nations meet in Paris and the next round of Six Nations fixtures kick into gear in just under a fortnight.

For Gregor Townsend, the walking wounded include Stuart Hogg and Huw Jones, whose shoulder and knee injuries, respectively, will be assessed this week. More troubling news came with confirmation that Ryan Wilson will be out for the remainder of the tournament with a knee injury.

Stuart Hogg is among Scotland’s walking wounded after limping out of their loss to Ireland

For France, the problems run far deeper. In many regards, they are mental not physical.

It is difficult to quantify just how damaging and humiliating the 44-8 reverse to England was the Gallic psyche. In the aftermath, the pressure on coach Jacques Brunel is now intense. In some French quarters, there are already calls for him to go.

Among the players, there are also suggestions that they are fed up with the way they are being asked to play.

Scrum-half Morgan Parra revealed that preparation for their Six Nations clash at Twickenham failed to include even the most basic elements of top-level rugby.

‘I think that we are capable of doing what the English do, but are we working on this during training? I think we don’t work on it enough, even not at all,’ the 30-year-old said.

‘Yet these are very simple things that are today part of high level rugby. We can do this. But do we work on it? No.

‘After such a masterclass, we all need to question ourselves. From A to Z. We, the players, try to find solutions but it is complicated.’ Centre Mathieu Bastareaud added that finding solutions of any kind was going to be ‘extremely hard’, while lock Sebastien Vahaamahina said that ‘we have to open our eyes on the areas we need to work on’.

French fans are already turning on their team. The vast empty spaces in the Stade de France for their opening game with Wales was telling. So was the fact that in that game they somehow let a 16-0 interval lead turn into a 24-19 defeat.

If there was anger after that, then the fury at the way their side went down to England on Sunday was barely disguised. Brunel cut a remote and removed figure watching the game. The murky world of French rugby politics remains at play here but one wonders how much longer the 65-year-old can survive.

And this is where Scotland come in. For all the disappointment of defeat to Ireland, the real bitter pill was that much of the damage was self-inflicted. Cut out the errors and a first victory in Paris for 20 years could be possible.

Surely there is never a better time to face Les Bleus? That is true, but still many things have to fall into place.

While the loss of Wilson is a blow, the emergence of Jamie Ritchie has been a distinct positive for Scotland. More of the same is required.

Against Ireland, the Edinburgh flanker was a stand-out. It is easy to forget that it was not until the autumn Tests last year that he announced himself on the international scene.

His work around the breakdown was impressive. He made 23 tackles, two breakdown steals and five ball carries. It might not be the pretty part of the game but it was effective.

Morgan Parra blasted France’s poor preparation after his side were thrashed by England

Just 22 and still with only eight caps, Ritchie has established himself in Townsend’s team and against the French will be asked to take on some of the burden left in Wilson’s absence.

‘All exposure is good exposure for the young guys and so far, so good for the Edinburgh boys,’ said Ritchie’s club coach, Richard Cockerill. ‘Jamie has done really well and has grown into that back row role with Scotland. I am thrilled to have him on a contract here for a few more years yet as he is getting better and better.’ The news that Hogg remains within Townsend’s camp was welcome as his shoulder injury is assessed. His importance to the team is obvious and his presence in the starting line-up is another key component for Scottish success.

Still, Cockerill made the case on Monday that, should Hogg not make it, then Blair Kinghorn can be trusted to pick up his mantle.

‘Blair can come in and do a job,’ Cockerill insisted. ‘Full-back is his favourite position and he is able to take more responsibility whenever he has to play there.

‘He is a very good attacker from full-back and Scotland are blessed to have two very good 15s. Blair gives good cover on the wing, too, so you can understand why he has been in the Scotland 23 in their first two Six Nations games. You can understand Hogg starting at full-back and Blair being on the wing so far as you want to get your best players in your starting team.

‘Fifteen is where we play him though and he can fit in there from the start at international level if needed no problems.’ As for Jones, there is much debate already into why he remains a shadow of the player who took the tournament by storm last season.

Should Hogg be unable to face France then Blair Kinghorn may be trusted to pick up his mantle

Perhaps his injury gives Townsend a ready-made excuse to start Peter Horne in Paris and allow Jones to regroup and refocus.

And what of the mercurial Finn Russell, whose role in Sam Johnson’s try at BT Murrayfield was breath-taking.

Worryingly, Russell and Greig Laidlaw have returned to their club sides in France and, away from the protective SRU bubble, are likely to be in domestic action this weekend.

Be sure that Townsend will have his fingers crossed they emerge unscathed. He certainly won’t want some lumbering French journeyman knocking the stuffing out of them.

For sure, so many things have to fall into place for Scotland because the outcome of next weekend’s encounter could rest on who has been able to recover the better from adversity.

The wounds of defeat run deep. We can only hope that it is France who have been unable to heal.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has given Manchester United belief and purpose… against PSG those traits will be their greatest weapon

• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made a fine start as Manchester United’s interim boss
• The former striker has delivered 10 wins and a draw from 11 games in charge
• On Tuesday night United will host PSG in the Champions League at Old Trafford
• When tie was drawn United were given no chance but Solskjaer changed that

By

Ian Ladyman for the Daily Mail

Published:
17:30 EST, 11 February 2019

|
Updated:
20:30 EST, 11 February 2019

For supporters of Manchester United the best thing about the Champions League draw — made in those dark, closing days of Jose Mourinho‘s management — was that it would take them on a trip to Paris. The football itself promised to be unmemorable.

That draw was made on December 17 and was watched by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the sofa at home in Norway with his son Noah.

On Monday, Solskjaer sat behind a table at Old Trafford as United’s manager and spoke about the prospects of beating the French champions in this week’s last 16 first leg. Nobody laughed.

Former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made a fine start as Manchester United’s interim boss

Of all the things that have happened in United’s great history, not many have been as revelatory as Solskjaer’s seven-and-a-half weeks in charge. 

The Norwegian has not only shown himself to be a proficient motivator and organiser of footballers but has also shone a light on just how destructive a force Mourinho had become at the club.

United remain a team with holes in it. On Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain will try to pick at some of those holes. But Solskjaer holds a wand in his hand right now and it promises to take United to places they could not have dreamed of as recently as mid-December.

Players who under-performed under Mourinho are now playing above themselves under his replacement and it is this sought-after sense of belief and purpose that United will take into this tie as their greatest weapon.

Solskjaer continues to duck and weave in the face of questions about his chances of landing the job in the long-term. Of course he does. The life of the caretaker — or interim as they call them these days — comes with no pressure attached. It’s a free hit.

Only when you get the gig full-time at a club like United do the walls start to close in and as such the former United striker will hope to continue to ride a wave of bravado and freedom when PSG face his team for Tuesday’s game in Manchester.

On Tuesday night, Solskjaer’s United side will host PSG in the Champions League last 16

PRE-MATCH STATS 

Man United vs French opposition:

Played: 28

Won: 15

Drawn: 11

Lost: 2 

PSG’s win percentage with Neymar and Cavani: 81%

Without Neymar and Cavani: 50%

1. Manchester United have won only one of their last nine Champions League knockout games. The only victory being their 3-0 win against Olympiacos in March 2014.

2. Paul Pogba is Manchester United’s highest scorer in the Champions League this season with two goals. He also has the most assists for the club and has created the most chances.

3. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is one of three managers left in the Champions League to have won it as a player, along with Pep Guardiola and Santiago Solari.

‘Of course I didn’t know this would happen back in December,’ smiled Solskjaer. ‘I was watching the draw with Noah and we said, “Wow that is a tough challenge”.

‘But we have given ourselves the best possible opportunity in the way we have gone into this game because we’re confident. I have found out what kind of team we have here. We are looking a team, we are agreeing on how we should approach games so if there was any time to go into big games like this it is now for us.

‘Confidence was low when I arrived but the players have responded fantastically and I don’t think we could be in a better frame of mind with confidence and form so we are looking forward to the next few games.

‘The squad is very capable of winning against any opponents.’

First and foremost, it was nice to see a United manager offer something resembling a genuine smile on Monday. After the nervous suspicion of David Moyes, the self-satisfaction of Louis van Gaal and the sheer malevolence of Mourinho, Solskjaer carries the look of a man who is actually enjoying himself. It has been a while.

The 45–year-old has his own Champions League history, of course. It is 20 years ago in May since he won United the trophy with almost the final kick of the game in Barcelona. United played poorly that night and may have to be better on Tuesday evening and when they visit Paris for the return next month.

When United were paired with PSG in the draw, Solskjaer said: ‘Wow that is a tough challenge’

PSG are a strange and unpredictable side and will be weakened by the absence of the injured Neymar and Edinson Cavani. 

When they played at Liverpool in the group stages last September, the French were desperately vulnerable without the ball and conceded three. In Paris against the same opposition, they were altogether more visceral and were far too good for Jurgen Klopp’s team.

So it stands to reason that United most hope to establish a lead on Tuesday and then hang on to it in Paris.

For all their enormous improvement under Solskjaer, United are still too easy to open up for a side with European aspirations and they must defend better than they routinely do in the Premier League if PSG are not to leave Old Trafford with an away goal.

On Monday Solskjaer was joined in the interview room by Anthony Martial. The young French forward is in that group of players — joined by Paul Pogba, Victor Lindelof, Marcus Rashford and Nemanja Matic — who have improved beyond recognition during the Norwegian’s time in charge.

Martial said that Solskjaer had encouraged him to play forwards and that said much about just how muddled things had become before Mourinho departed. Solskjaer’s greatest achievement has been to restore clarity and simplicity to United’s methods. Whatever happens on Tuesday, they will not go to Paris as tourists.

Midfielder Paul Pogba has improved beyond recognition during Norwegian’s time in charge

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