Scotland captain Ross Ford believes they can discover their clinical edge and turn around their Six Nations campaign against France.

Ford: Preparing for France clash

Scotland have suffered defeats against England (13-6) and Wales (27-13), scoring one try in the process, despite having several clear chances and decent territorial pressure in both matches.

The inability to turn possession into points has dogged Scotland in recent years but Ford is convinced they can put their training-ground moves into practice in front of a full house at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Ford said: "We have looked at the Wales game and we put them under pressure.

"They're a quality side and we created a lot of chances. However, we didn't finish those chances off - we weren't clinical enough.

"We will keep the faith in how we're trying to play and that we will take the opportunities and finish them off.

"We have talked about it in the last couple of weeks. It's just about being composed.

"We have created chances, it's all about having belief and being clinical.

"We've been recreating that in training and repeating them until it becomes second nature.

"That's what we are doing every time - it's something we have got to be better at.

"The hard work we put in in training will come to fruition. We have to make sure we take all that hard work out on the pitch and leave nothing behind.

"That's what we have worked on and try to emphasise all the time."

Ford acknowledges they are facing a team who can punish their opponents.

While Scotland struggled to convert chances during the World Cup last year and exited in the first round, France made the most of their abilities and reached the final despite an early shock defeat by Tonga.

Ford said: "The French are very clinical. Every team has different ways of playing and you take a look at them.

"But for us we have got to make sure that when France have the ball we are very aggressive and strong and we put them under pressure.

"We have to make sure it's hard for them to break us down. That's their strength and we have to nullify that with the way we defend."

Sunday's visit of France is Scotland's final home game of the tournament and defeat would leave them looking at a likely wooden-spoon decider against Italy in Rome on March 17 in their final game.

But Ford insists they cannot look beyond the France game and worry about possible outcomes.

"I focus on going out and performing well as a team," the Edinburgh hooker said.

"There's no point putting extra pressure on ourselves.

"I know that if we perform well that we will get the right result - that's the way I approach games."

Ford was speaking at the captain's media conference, confirming he retained the position he assumed for the opening two games of the competition. But he is not looking too far ahead.

"For me it's game by game," the 27-year-old said. "I just make sure that, like everyone else in the team, I perform well and merit selection.

"Every game I make sure I'm doing everything to the best of my ability and making sure, as captain, I lead by example and that I merit being in that position."

Scotland head coach Andy Robinson is due to name his team on Wednesday and has Glasgow stand-off Ruaridh Jackson among his options after he returned to action following a hamstring injury.

Winger Max Evans (ankle) and lock Jim Hamilton (illness) are doubts while Sale forward Richie Vernon (ankle) and Gloucester's Scott Lawson (dead leg) have been receiving treatment. Euan Murray will miss Sunday's game for religious reasons.