"Actually human" - Five France players who flopped against Scotland

Saturday, 07 March 2026 at 17:00

byRugby Rucker

Following France’s shock 50–40 defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield, Fabien Galthié’s Grand Slam dream unravelled in dramatic fashion.

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Scotland’s relentless pressure exposed cracks across the French side, and several big names endured difficult afternoons as momentum repeatedly slipped through their fingers.

Here are five France players who flopped in Edinburgh.

Dorian Aldegheri – Schoeman’s Personal Scrum Machine

It was a long afternoon for Dorian Aldegheri, who found himself largely dominated by Pierre Schoeman in the scrum exchanges. The French tighthead never seemed to get a proper read on referee Angus Gardner’s interpretation, and Scotland’s loosehead steadily gained the upper hand as the half wore on.

That pressure placed France on the back foot repeatedly, particularly in key field-position battles. To Aldegheri’s credit, his tackle count was respectable, but this was one of those performances that fell firmly into the “alright but no better than that” category.

Against a fired-up Scottish pack, that simply wasn’t enough.

Matthieu Jalibert – Flickers of Magic, Then the Lights Went Out

Matthieu Jalibert tried desperately to ignite France’s attack in the early stages. A clever grubber kick nearly sent Attissogbe racing clear and briefly hinted that the fly-half might orchestrate something special.

But as Scotland tightened the screw, Jalibert’s influence faded. The pressure mounted, his decision-making became increasingly shaky, and the rhythm of France’s attack spluttered.

His yellow card only compounded matters, leaving France even more exposed during a period when Scotland were already building momentum.

Antoine Dupont – The Genius Who Glitched

Antoine Dupont remains the best player in the world – but even the best have off days. This was a strange one.

The first half was vintage Dupont. His stunning steal on Sione Tuipulotu – after Yoram Moefana had been brushed aside in defence – created something out of nothing and led to Louis Bielle-Biarrey’s opening try. It was pure rugby genius.

Then the second half happened.

Errors crept in at an alarming rate. A pass straight to Kyle Steyn gifted Scotland possession, and a forward pass behind his own goal line after carrying the ball over was one of the most bizarre moments of the match. Dupont did score late on, but it couldn’t mask a chaotic second half.

In short: proof that even rugby’s ultimate cheat code is, occasionally, human.

Yoram Moefana – Defensive Rock… Turned Defensive Sinkhole

Yoram Moefana was selected for his defensive solidity. Unfortunately, that solidity never materialised.

He missed a one-on-one tackle on Huw Jones early on and ended the match with seven missed tackles – a brutal tally in a game where Scotland repeatedly targeted the midfield channel. Two of Scotland’s tries could be traced directly back to defensive lapses in his area.

What made the situation even more baffling was that Moefana remained on the field for the full 80 minutes despite the struggles. With the ball he offered very little, and defensively it was a nightmare from start to finish.

Knowing Galthié’s ruthless selection policy, this could be a performance that haunts his international prospects.

Julien Marchand – When the Referee Knows Your Name

From the opening exchanges, it was clear Julien Marchand was on the wrong side of referee Angus Gardner – and things only went downhill from there.

The hooker was repeatedly penalised at the scrum and ruck, and one particularly clumsy moment on 29 minutes – running back through the passing lane – perfectly summed up a frustrating afternoon riddled with errors.

Marchand did manage to find his jumper with three of his four lineout throws, which at least provided one small positive. But overall it was a difficult outing that ended with him being hooked at half-time.

This is a player who has delivered many excellent Test performances for France. Unfortunately, this was not one of them – and with Galthié known for swift selection responses, he may not be the only one nervously awaiting next week’s team sheet.

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