Kenny Logan is adamant Scotland should go into Saturday’s showdown with under-pressure France in bullish mood because they have proved on several occasions they can unsettle Les Bleus on home soil.
The Scots have won five of the last seven meetings between the teams at Murrayfield – and three of the last four Edinburgh clashes in the Six Nations.
Logan, who won 70 caps for Scotland, feels the Scots are perfectly capable of inflicting another defeat on the French, who lost 38-17 at home to Ireland in their Guinness Six Nations opener last Friday.
“Scotland have definitely got a chance of getting a result, all day long,” Logan – speaking to promote Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race – told the PA news agency.
“They’re at home, the French are under pressure, Scotland have got a game that can take the French on, they beat them in August – albeit in a World Cup warm-up – and they’ve beaten them several times in the last few years, so why would they not be confident?
“Scotland are a strong team so we should be looking at it thinking ‘we’re going to win this match’. They’ve got to have that confidence.”
Logan, 51, played for Scotland in an era when victories over France were rare but he feels Gregor Townsend’s side will benefit from memories of recent successes against this weekend’s opponents.
“It helps mentally when you’ve beaten a team because you get a lot of confidence from that,” he said.
“When they go into the game, they can say ‘right, we’ve beaten them three of the last four times we’ve played them here in the Six Nations’, and they also know they’ve played against their players in Europe and have played against France three times in the last year, so they shouldn’t be scared of them.
“We’re a team who can beat anybody on our day. Anybody.”
Scotland defeated Wales 27-26 in their opener in Cardiff last weekend – but only after almost squandering a 27-0 lead. Logan feels their second-half collapse will help focus minds for the French.
“After last week, when it felt like a defeat and they probably felt like they let themselves down, the team will have been more on edge this week in terms of knowing they’ve got to work hard to get the focus right,” he said.
“I think they just got a little bit carried away last week and their heads went a little bit but overall they will have learned a lot more than if they won by 30 points.
“That game will let them know they’ve got to play for 80 minutes, and keep their focus, which they will have to do against France.”
Kenny Logan was speaking to promote Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race, which launches on 28 February.
Rees-Zammit relishing Mahomes advice as former rugby star eyes spot on Chiefs roster
Louis Rees-Zammit has likened Patrick Mahomes to an extra coach as he looks to make an impact in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rees-Zammit shocked rugby union fans in January when he announced he was turning his back on the sport to enter the NFL's International Player Pathway programme.
He was signed by two-time defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City in March and is now looking to earn a place on their roster for 2024, learning the role of running back at the Chiefs' rookie minicamp after attending another training camp alongside Mahomes.
Rees-Zammit has made sure to pick the brains of Mahomes, who has led the Chiefs to six straight AFC Championship games and won three Super Bowl rings since being drafted in 2017.
"It was amazing, all the quarterbacks and receivers were there, we were running routes, we were working in the gym", Rees-Zammit said of his experience at that camp in Texas.
"It was a great two weeks, I definitely learned a lot with Pat and the other boys."
Asked if Mahomes was acting like an extra coach, he said: "100 per cent.
"I'm new to the game so I'm trying to pick everyone's brains and try and pick up the sport as quick as possible because I want to be out there playing.
"The way I can do that is picking the brains of everyone that's currently here and trying to learn the game as quickly as possible."
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has been impressed by Rees-Zammit's attitude, saying: "He's so diligent with everything and wants to be so good at everything. I appreciate that.
"I like the fact he's got shorter steps initially, that's a good thing as a running back. If you're a long strider in there you've got to really work on making it through those tight adjustments you have to make. He seems to have a nice feel."
England and Saracens number eight Vunipola fined after arrest in Mallorca
England international Billy Vunipola has confirmed he has been fined after an incident which saw him arrested in Mallorca on Sunday, with his club Saracens set to launch an internal investigation.
On Monday, widespread reports claimed Vunipola had been tasered by Spanish police in the early hours of Sunday morning, with an altercation taking place after he left a club in Palma.
Saracens later confirmed they were aware of an incident and said they would deal with it internally.
The number eight, who was born in Australia but has represented England 75 times, later released a statement of his own via his club, denying that any violence took place and confirming the police investigation was now closed.
"I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand," that statement read.
"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.
"I was charged with resisting the law and, following an 'express trial', I have paid a fine of €240. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.
"I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved."
Fraser Brown ‘hugely proud’ of Scotland career as he announces rugby retirement
Fraser Brown declared himself “hugely proud” of his Scotland career as he announced his retirement from professional rugby.
The 34-year-old Glasgow hooker has not played since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the World XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham last May and he has now conceded defeat in his bid to return to action.
Brown won 61 Scotland caps, with the first of them coming against Italy in 2013 and the last in the Six Nations match at home to Ireland in 2023, the same game incidentally in which Stuart Hogg won his final cap. The front-rower went to both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
“When you have a serious injury like I did with an ACL at the end of your career, it is always going to be hard to come back from,” Brown told Scottish Rugby.
“That probably made it a little easier to announce my retirement but it’s still a surreal and strange feeling.
“I’m hugely proud to have played so many times for Scotland during my career. To get one cap was great, but then my second one came against the All Blacks at Murrayfield which was such a special occasion.
“To reach 50 caps was a big moment as I had to deal with a lot of injuries throughout my career and to be part of the growth process of the team which has resulted in where they are now has been cool.”
At club level, Brown made 141 appearances for Glasgow after joining from Edinburgh in 2011.
The hooker helped them win the Guinness Pro12 in 2015 with victory over Munster in the final in Belfast, while his last appearance for Warriors proved to be last season’s Challenge Cup final defeat by Toulon in Dublin.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith paid tribute to Brown, saying: “Fraser is the epitome of a modern professional and someone who should serve as a role model to any young player starting their journey.
“The respect with which he is held, not only within the Glasgow Warriors community but within the wider rugby family, should serve to underline the achievements he has earned throughout his career and the manner in which he has achieved them.
“His work ethic and determination to bring the best out of the people and players around him has been clear to all throughout his career.
“I wish him the very best for whatever comes next and I know he will apply that same work ethic and determination that made him one of this club’s most distinguished Warriors.”
Brown becomes the second experienced Scotland front-rower to announce his retirement in the space of a month after Edinburgh prop WP Nel recently revealed he would be hanging his boots up at the end of this season.
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