Scotland hoping to party like it’s 1999 and thwart France’s title ambitions

Even now, 27 years on, Kenny Logan still remembers how good it felt. Back in 1999, as this year, Scotland were title outsiders before a crunch fixture against the defending champions, France. Beneath a bright blue Parisian sky they gloriously ripped up the script with five first-half tries and, thanks to England’s late implosion against Wales at Wembley a day later, hoisted the trophy at Murrayfield in front of 15,000 fans on the Monday.

For Logan, who landed five successful kicks on that famous afternoon, the timeless lessons of the story are twofold. The first is that Scotland have failed to win the tournament since; and the second is that, at times like this, fortune favours the brave: “When we went to France that year we took the game to them. That’s what Scotland will do this weekend – and probably do it better than we could.”

It should be stressed that Scotland will also be encountering a more dangerous French side on Saturday. So far the unbeaten visitors have scored 18 tries in three games, many of them on the counterattack from their own half. Beat Scotland with a try bonus point on Saturday and the title will be theirs with a round to spare, regardless of what transpires in their final game against England at the Stade de France.

But as a former international teammate of Gregor Townsend, the Scotland head coach, and a former Wasps colleague of Shaun Edwards, France’s defence coach, Logan is convinced a gripping contest awaits. “I know Shaun really well and I guarantee he’ll be saying to them: ‘This is your biggest test this season.’ He’ll also be saying: ‘You’re going to play a team that can beat anyone in the world. They’re maybe not the most consistent but at home they perform. You’re going to be at the top of your game.’ That’ll be well drilled into them.”

There is no chance, consequently, of Edwards focusing on Scotland’s subpar defeat by Italy in round one or their narrow win over Wales in Cardiff at the expense of their stirring Calcutta Cup performance, among the standout displays of the Townsend era. “I know Gregor’s been under pressure but France will know they’re coming to a place where it’s not easy to win,” says Logan.

“To do so they’ll have to play well. The atmosphere at the England game was incredible. If you get on top of a team that atmosphere can take you to another level. I genuinely think we’ve got a real chance this week. So far France haven’t played away against a team that’s going to give them a real test.”

Gregor Townsend jumps for joy after scoring Scotland’s third try against France in Paris in 1999. Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

When Logan assesses the Scotland squad, with its gifted backline, forceful back row and growing impact off the bench, he sees similarities with 1999 when Townsend twirled the baton at 10 a la Finn Russell and the whole team chose not to die wondering. As Logan recalls: “We turned up at that stadium that day and it just felt different. We were running from everywhere … we took the French on. I just remember being so far in front with so much time to go. The atmosphere was amazing.”

Scotland’s margin of victory would have been wider still had Logan, now 53, not somehow missed a conversion attempt from right in front of the sticks – “I kicked five out of six that day and the one I missed was the easy one!” – while the weekend also proved bizarre in other respects. Having flown home on the Sunday, England’s unscheduled defeat by Wales required Scotland’s players to make swift returns to their local airports and catch flights to Edinburgh. At the time Logan was living with his Wasps teammate Simon Shaw; ironically it was the England lock forward who drove him to Heathrow and ensured he attended the trophy presentation.

Kenny Logan (centre) contests an aerial ball against France in 1999. Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

Could there be an unforeseen twist to the unpredictable 2026 championship? Logan, for one, is still trying to get his head around England’s recent vertical descent. “The biggest shock in this tournament has been England being so poor. When Scotland beat them I thought: ‘They’re really going to come back and give Ireland a proper doing.’ And it was the opposite. Twice in a row they’ve been absolutely destroyed. Italy have got one of the biggest chances of beating England they’ve ever had.”

Scotland, meanwhile, have had some decent days against France in modern times, winning 27-23 in Paris in 2021 and being narrowly edged out two years ago following a late disallowed Sam Skinner try. The first 20 minutes, reckons Logan, will be critical. “We have to start the game well and make them chase … if we start chasing the game it won’t be easy. Scotland have the ability to come back but not against a good French team.”

But maybe, just maybe, the “miracle” of 1999 can be replicated, setting up a final-round thriller against Ireland in Dublin. “I think this team deserves to win something,” says Logan. “It’s got a lot of good players and a good coach. Gregor has been there a long time and it’s hard to keep things fresh. But the way the team responded after Italy to beat England and worked so hard to get that win in Wales … they’re playing for their coach, right? You can see that.

“Even if we lose to France we’d still be going for a first triple crown since 1990. We’ve got two chances here to go for something. It would be devastating if that team doesn’t win something other than just the Calcutta Cup.”