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Controversial loss taken on chin by McCormack
SCOTLAND'S World Cup campaign started in defeat as Thomas Bosc and Jerome Guisset guided France to a controversial 36-18 win in Canberra.
Catalans Dragons stand-off Bosc produced an influential display by kicking six goals from as many attempts, and creating two French tries.
Captain and fellow Dragons star Guisset also helped himself to a brace of tries, but defeat was tough on the gutsy Scots.
They were aggrieved by two tries disallowed by Australian video referee Phil Cooley, and also felt play should have been stopped in the build-up to John Wilson's first-half try for France, as ex-Wakefield Wildcats forward Duncan MacGillivray was down concussed in back play.
Steve McCormack's team are now considerable outsiders to make the semi-final qualifier with just one Pool Two game remaining, against Fiji on November 5.
McCormack said: "There were a couple of decisions that may have favoured us a little more than they did do, but we certainly won't use that as an excuse.
"We had our chance at the back end of the game to get some good field position when there was six points in it. We didn't do that, and only had ourselves to blame for that."
France had led 18-6 at half-time, with the disputed Wilson try helping establish control for John Monie's side.
Scotland were down to 12 men at the time with second rower MacGillivray lying motionless, but New Zealand referee Leon Williamson allowed the French to continue.
On the last tackle of the set, Bosc's high kick saw Wilson out-jump the defence to touch down, with the Scots still protesting.
Up until then it had been an even contest, after the game burst into life following a scrappy opening quarter.
France broke the deadlock just before the 20-minute mark, when prop Adel Fellous broke the Scottish defence up the middle and sent the supporting full-back Jared Taylor racing over. Bosc added the simple conversion but Scotland were soon level.
Gifted field position when Julien Rinaldi's pass to Guisset was ruled forward, the Scots took full advantage as Lee Paterson's smart work out wide created a try for winger Jon Steel.
Danny Brough added the extras from the touchline, and then thought he had created a try for MacGillivray, only for Cooley to rule a Michael Robertson knock-on in the build up.
France punished Scotland almost immediately, as captain Guisset powered past three defenders.
And the Tricolours pulled further away seven minutes before the break through Wilson's controversial effort.
Scotland roared back into the contest soon after the restart. Brough's clever pass sent substitute forward Oliver Wilkes over by the posts to close the gap to just six points.
France responded when substitute James Wynn's break provided the position for Bosc to kick superbly again, this time allowing Sebastien Raguin to touch down.
But the Scots closed the gap to six points again as slick handling resulted in Mick Nanyn sending Dean Colton over in the right-hand corner.
They then again fell foul of video referee Cooley, when he ruled Nanyn had knocked on prior to John Duffy touching down, rather than the ball being knocked out by Rinaldi.
And with six minutes remaining the French sealed victory as Guisset legitimately stole the ball from Robertson to grab his second try.
Christophe Moly's try in the final seconds gave a lopsided look to the scoreline.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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