IT took 23 years for Scotland to emerge as Six Nations contenders.
It took just 20 minutes for all our hopes and dreams to unravel in Paris.
Despite an heroic second half showing, the damage was done thanks to a truly disastrous start.
Gregor Townsend’s side were already a try down when Grant Gilchrist was shown a straight red card.
France - also reduced to 14 men in a crazy opening ten minutes - added two more scores before Scotland found their feet.
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They then threw absolutely everything at the French in a bid to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive.
But they’d left themselves with just too much to do.
By the end of an enthralling encounter they were dead on their feet, unable to stop Gael Fickou from running in France’s fourth try right on full-time.
It was agony for the Scots who now have two weeks to prepare for their Triple Crown showdown with Ireland.
The title would be up for grabs if Scotland were to get a result at BT Murrayfield.
But they must quickly lick their wounds and regroup after this gut-wrenching defeat.
Two years ago, Scotland came to Paris and conquered.
On that occasion, Covid ensured the Stade de France was eerily empty.
This afternoon it was a cauldron of colour and noise.
The home side were desperate to bounce back from defeat in Dublin, while the visitors were aiming to keep their hopes of a first ever Six Nations title alive,
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After back-to-back wins against England and Wales, Townsend’s side arrived in the French capital firmly in the Championship mix.
Yet this always promised to be a true examination of their title credentials.
Could they handle the hype? Could they shoulder the responsibility? Could they keep the dream alive?
In 2021, Duhan van der Merwe won it at the death for the Scots.
It secured a first win in Paris since 1999 - now they were hunting more history.
What they found in the first half was heartache.
In a truly astonishing opening to this test match, Townsend’s side were a man AND 19 points down inside 20 minutes.
They also butchered three try-scoring opportunities of their own.
Everything that could go wrong, had gone wrong.
Richie Gray was penalised on four minutes for going off his feet.
Thibaud Flament gathered the line-out for France before their forwards smashed up through a series of phases.
Romain Ntamack the man in space to score in the corner - Thomas Ramos adding the conversion.
Things immediately went from bad to worse for Scotland with Gilchrist shown a straight red card with just six minutes gone.
It was a shoulder straight to the head of Anthony Jelonch and in truth the giant Scotland star could have no complaints.
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France drove back downfield with the Scots gifting possession deep inside their own ‘22 - Ethan Dumortier this time crashing over to score.
Jonny Gray replaced Hamish Watson as Townsend tried to bulk up his back row.
And almost immediately the Scots were thrown a lifeline with France were also reduced to 14 men.
Mohamed Haouas - the man sent off for punching Jamie Ritchie three years ago - dived straight through the defensive line, colliding with Ben White’s head.
It was a moment of madness and he too could have had no complaints.
But with 19 minutes gone the home side stretched their advantage.
Ramos intercepted Finn Russell’s telegraphed pass to run the length of the Stade de France to score.
Scotland could only curse their rotten luck. Zander Fagerson dropped the ball on the line just before Duhan van der Merwe was bundled into touch with the try-line in sight.
Yet still they kept coming and with 25 minutes gone Scotland did get their first try of the match.
Jamie Ritchie had gathered the line-out and when the ball was fed back to Russell he threw a lovely flat pass for Huw Jones to run onto and score.
Russell himself added the extras.
France, however, would have the final say in a crazy first half - Ramos slotting a penalty in front of the posts after Matt Fagerson was penalised.
Scotland had to get on the scoreboard first after the break and with eight minutes of the second half gone, Jones barrelled over for his second try.
Sione Tuipulotu slipped a neat pass out the back door for Jones to score.
Russell added the extras and suddenly Scotland had hope.
France tried to close that door. Dumortier should have got his second try of the match but after being held up on the line, Gray was again penalised at the ruck.
Ramos stretched France’s lead to 11 points with 20 minutes to go.
Scotland, however, just kept coming. This side never knows when it’s beaten and with 12 minutes left, Russell rumbled over for our third try of a titanic tussle.
Adding the conversion, it was a four point game with a little over ten minutes left.
With the Scots spent, Fickou put the game beyond us with France’s fourth try.
With the clock red, Ramos kicked the conversion.
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