SCOTLAND face a tough task bouncing back from their hugely disappointing opening day RBS 6 Nations defeat to Wales against France in Paris this weekend.

SCOTLAND face a tough task bouncing back from their hugely disappointing opening day RBS 6 Nations defeat to Wales against France in Paris this weekend.

But if they approach the game in the right way and get in their rivals' faces more than they did against the defending champions at Murrayfield on Sunday they are capable of causing an upset.

From speaking to some of the guys I know who were involved with the national team at the weekend, I know they are upset not doing themselves justice.

Physically, I felt they just didn't match up to the Grand Slam winners in Edinburgh. They let both themselves and the coaches down badly.

It is always important to get off to a good start in the tournament and Scotland certainly face a uphill task getting some momentum going now after suffering such a setback.

Getting a result against Les Bleus at the Stade de France, who impressed despite losing to Ireland in Dublin, is an enormous challenge for Frank Hadden's boys.

The match at Croke Park, which the Emerald Isle edged 30-21, was a fantastic advert for rugby. In fact, it showed everything that is good about international rugby.

You had two teams who were committed to playing rugby. They displayed great skills and showed enormous ambition. Some quality tries were scored and there was top class defending.

However, France can definitely be beaten at their own stadium if Scotland approach the game in the correct manner.

The French do not have a rush defence like the Welsh do and that should give Scotland the chance to move the ball wide a bit more than they did in their opening game.

Traditionally, France are fantastic runners and they are also very good at the set piece. There will be a bit more of that than there was last weekend because that is their strong point.

Scotland, then, have to get some unstructured passages of play going by dinking little kicks over their heads and trying to spin the ball wide whenever they have the opportunity.

I am delighted that a couple more Glasgow Warriors players have been included in Frank's starting XV after missing out against Wales.

Max Evans, who came on last week and scored a late consol-ation try, will replace Ben Cairns and will partner his Warriors team-mate Graeme Morrison in the centre.

Elsewhere, his brother Thom comes in on the wing ahead of Sean Lamont. They will become the 20th set of brothers to play together.

I am also pleased that Moray Low, the Glasgow prop, is included in a Scotland 22 for the first time ever. He is on the bench along with fellow Warriors Dougie Hall, Kelly Brown and Scott Gray.

I have been with the Scotland A team all week and have enjoyed a good few days training ahead of our opening match of the season against Ireland A at Donnybrook on Friday.

I have enjoyed working with my Edinburgh counterpart Andy Robinson, the former England coach who is now the Scotland A coach, and swapping ideas and thoughts on the game with him.

From what I have seen there are a few of the boys who are more than capable of stepping up to the full national side.

Hopefully, our game will not be as bad as the one between England and Italy at Twickenham on Saturday. What an appalling game of rugby that was!

It was terrible. Everybody involved in it should be embarrassed and should hand back the money.