Six Nations: Scotland's mobility to win the day

Budge Pountney says Scotland's mobility can put France out of their stride in Paris.

The vice-captain is clearly relishing the challenge of opening the Six Nations campaign as underdogs again - after last year's disastrous loss to Italy.

Pountney remembers the 36-22 victory that was achieved in 1999 and cites the forwards' speed in the loose that day as a key factor.

Poutney, who plays his club rugby at Northampton Saints and already has 19 caps to his name, said: "We have to match the French forwards, so obviously that means there's a lot of pressure on us as a pack. But we're enjoying that.

"We're going to look to really hit them hard in the first minutes and see what happens as a result.

"We'll play a very quick game - we're not a side who want to hammer it up front or try to beat them into submission.

"We want to move them about to a level that they're uncomfortable about, so it's a lot of quick thinking that's required.

"It's a never-say-die attitude we need to succeed. We've been working hard, and there's a very honest feeling in the squad.

"So we're just going to go out there and give it our best shot.

"We've been training hard, and the fruits of that should come out on the pitch."

Martin Leslie returns to the side after injury alongside Pountney in the back row, with Jon Petrie adding extra bulk at number eight - which means no starting place for one of the revelations of last year's championship Jason White.

There is a possibility, however, that White may be used to inject some added physical presence as an impact substitute by Scotland's wily coach Ian McGeechan.