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PARIS - France retained their Six Nations title but needed a last-gasp try in a 46-19 win over Scotland today to deny Ireland their first championship since 1985.
Ireland's 51-24 demolition of Italy earlier on Sunday in Rome left France needing to beat Scotland by a margin of at least 24 points at the Stade de France. They duly won by 27 but only after a tense finish.
Both sides finished with four wins and eight points, France having a better match points difference.
England could still have deprived the French of their third crown in four years. Needing to beat Wales by an improbable margin of 57 points in the last game of the championship they lost 27-18 in Cardiff.
The Six Nations organisers waited until the end of the Cardiff game before handing the cup to the French at the Stade de France with only a few officials in attendance. Coach Bernard Laporte had already left the stadium.
France's hopes looked to have been dashed four minutes from time when Prop Euan Murray scored Scotland's third try.
With the last play of the game, France's number eight Elvis Vermeulen was driven over for a try only confirmed, after a nerve-jangling delay, by the video referee.
"It was a great day for rugby," said France coach Bernard Laporte. "It was definitely our best match in the tournament and certainly our best match in quite some time."
Six tries and 16 points from the boot of first five-eighths Lionel Beauxis proved just enough for France, whose grand slam hopes had been shattered by a 26-18 defeat by England at Twickenham last Sunday.
"The days after our poor game against England were tough and the news of the Ireland score was another blow but we showed a lot of character," said France hooker and captain Raphael Ibanez.
"We have guys in that team who proved today that they are true champions," he added.
Scotland managed three tries, through wingers Nikki Walker and Sean Lamont and Murray, captain Chris Paterson adding two conversions.
Paterson missed a penalty for the first time in the tournament after four minutes but the visitors' pack kept moving forward and were rewarded when Walker dived over in the corner to score the first try of the match, which Paterson converted to put his side 7-0 up after seven minutes.
Beauxis, deputising for the injured David Skrela at number 10, then missed a penalty before converting one to reduce the arrears and put the home team into the match after 20 minutes.
Slowly finding their momentum and gaining confidence, the French moved ahead with a collective effort by their forwards for a try by number eight Imanol Harinordorquy which Beauxis converted to put France 10-7 up on the half hour.
Then came a flash of brilliance by Pierre Mignoni. The French halfback twisted his way through Scotland's defence, kicked the ball for himself and set up centre Yannick Jauzion, who scored between the posts.
Beauxis converted that superb try and then added a penalty to give the hosts a 20-7 lead.
Scotland were clearly suffering at that point but still found the strength to counter and score a second try by Lamont which Paterson converted to cut France's advantage to 20-14 at halftime.
France were soon back in command after the break, fluent moves by their backs ending with tries in quick succession from centre David Marty and wing Cedric Heymans, only the first of which Beauxis managed to convert.
Now convincingly mixing up flair and power, the French added a fifth try by prop Olivier Milloud. Beauxis's conversion put them 39-14 up and ahead of Ireland on points difference for the first time.
Scotland, however, kept fighting and a try by Murray with four minutes left threatened to ruin France's hopes until substitute number eight Vermeulen jumped over the Scotland defence and turned around to score a dramatic try which Beauxis converted in the final seconds.
"Some of the French tries were a bit fortunate but at the end of the day they deserve to win this game and the championship," said Scotland coach Frank Hadden.
