Unbeaten France kept pace with England at the Women's Six Nations summit by dispatching battling hosts Scotland.

Chloe Rollie hit back late on, but Scotland had too much to do.

France are now level with the Red Roses with maximum points from their three games, while Scotland have only one.

The electric Sansus, one of the finest talents in the women's game, splintered the Scottish resistance early with a wonderful try, collecting a clearance and chipping over the chasers before gathering to score.

Her similarly illustrious half-back partner Tremouliere converted and crossed herself soon after, selling a dummy to Jenny Maxwell to power over before nailing the kick from wide.

Scotland were coping admirably with the French heavyweights at this point, winning tussles at the breakdown and earning a slew of penalties to enliven the Glasgow crowd.

Helen Nelson banged over Scotland's first points but they could not seize a greater reward from the visitors' indiscipline, squandering possession in the away 22 in the face of colossal tackling.

Four disastrous minutes at the end of the half killed their chances. Sansus, ever alert, grounded after Hermet charged down Jenny Maxwell's box kick. Then a series of slick off-loads sent Hermet cantering home. Two tries, two conversions, and the extinguishing of Scottish hopes.

France had the game won, withdrawing their star half-backs, and Scotland continued to pound at the line, a massive spell of pressure and repeated infringements earning Julie Annery a yellow card.

Eventually, after hammering at the door, Rollie booted it off its hinges with a dynamic run to the corner.

In keeping France, one of the long-standing powerhouses of women's rugby, scoreless in the second half, Scotland delivered a positive second 40 as they look towards Italy in 13 days. They are still counting the cost of their late second-round defeat by Wales.

France, who travel to Wales on 22 April, continue going stride for stride with the Red Roses, ahead of a likely, and seismic, Grand Slam decider in Bayonne on the final weekend.

Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm: "We've said it's not good enough for us to be losing, last week and this week. Last week we showed we could have beaten Wales if we'd turned up from the start.

"I said at half-time, 'no matter what happens, we win this half'. We turned our set-piece around after a rough first half, which was very pleasing, but some of the moments of brilliance from France in the first half, I put my hands up.

"That second half we were the better team and it shows us we can compete with the best."

Scotland head coach Bryan Easson: "We were really disappointed at half-time, our set-piece and attacking breakdowns had to tighten up. We can't keep saying that, it's not good enough to give teams that start and put pressure on us.

"We had some good attacking sets, we just didn't fire a shot. When you put territory on a team, you have got to take that. When you lose ball early in a phase count, it doesn't put pressure on.

"Second half we did, they were under pressure and made mistakes."

Scotland: Chloe Rollie (Exeter Chiefs), Rhona Lloyd (Les Lioness du Stade Bordelaise), Emma Orr (Biggar), Lisa Thomson (Sale Sharks), Megan Gaffney (Loughborough Lightning), Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), Jenny Maxwell (Loughborough Lightning); Leah Bartlett (Loughborough Lightning), Lana Skeldon (Worcester Warriors), Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning), Louise McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill), Sarah Bonar (Harlequins), Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning), Evie Gallagher (Stirling County), Jade Konkel (Harlequins).

Replacements: Jodie Rettie (Saracens), Molly Wright (Sale Sharks), Katie Dougan (Gloucester Hartpury), Lyndsay O'Donnell (Worcester Warriors), Rachel McLachlan (Sale Sharks), Caity Mattinson (Worcester Warriors), Sarah Law (Sale Sharks), Meryl Smith (Edinburgh University).

France: Emilie Boulard, Marie-Aurelie Castel, Marine Menager, Chloe Jacquet, Melissande Llorens, Jessy Tremouliere, Laure Sansus, Annaelle Deshaye, Laure Touye, Assia Khalfaoui, Celine Ferer, Madoussou Fall, Julie Annery, Gaelle Hermet, Emeline Gros.

Replacements: Celia Domain, Coco Lindelauf, Clara Joyeux, Safi N'Diaye, Romane Menager, Alexandra Chambon, Morgane Peyronnet, Gabrielle Vernier.

Referee: Clara Munarini (Ita)