Ben White breaks silence on Antoine Dupont flashpoint in Scotland v France game

White, the Scotland scrum-half, appeared to taunt his French counterpart during the match at Murrayfield after Kyle Steyn had scored his second try of the afternoon.

Steyn had intercepted Dupont’s pass after the France captain had been pressurised by White. The Scotland No 9, who plays in the Top 14 for Toulon, celebrated in front of Dupont who took exception to White’s behaviour and refused to shake his hand as the teams left the pitch.

Dupont, who plays for Toulouse, said later: “We’ve all experienced victories and defeats but I’ve never had that kind of mindset on the field.”

White, who scored a try in Scotland’s remarkable 50-40 win, said he got caught up in the heat of the occasion.

In an interview with Var Matin, White said. “It's just that you want to win and you're passionate about representing your country. There's adrenaline. That's all.

“I have no problem with Antoine Dupont. I have a lot of respect for him. He's an incredible player, and if you want to stay in the game against him, you have to be at your best. It's as simple as that.”

White has previously spoken about how highly he rates Dupont and the pair are scheduled to meet again when Toulon host Toulouse in the Top 14 at Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome on May 9.