Jodie Williams and Eilish McColgan both delivered performances to remember as they stormed to victory and on to the team for Doha on day two of the Müller British Athletics Championships.
Both have experienced more than their fair share of setbacks over the past few years but on Sunday they proved that their perseverance and passion is paying off.
In the 200m, Williams did not only have to battle her rivals but also the wind as she surged off the bend and into a -4.3m/sec gale.
Her winning time was 23.06 as she pipped defending champion Beth Dobbin by 0.07, with both athletes securing their spots for the IAAF World Championships.
In a close finish, Ashleigh Nelson was third in 23.18 while Kristal Awuah was fourth in 23.36.
“It means so much,” Williams said after her win. “I was really hoping that was going to be the outcome of today and I really battled to that line and made sure that I was going to be on top of that podium and going to Doha. I couldn’t be happier.”
Williams has been very open about the struggles she has experienced since a remarkable junior career which included a five-year and 151-race winning streak.
But now based in America in Phoenix, Arizona, she feels like this season has been the start of a new chapter.
“It’s been a long road for me,” she said. “I think it has definitely been no secret that there have been ups and downs. I’ve tried to be as open as I can with everyone, just how much of a struggle it has been, both mentally and physically.
“This season has been a bit of a blessing for me. Everything has gone to plan and things really feel like they are falling into place.”
For Dobbin, there came relief that she had made the world championships team after struggling with a knee injury.
“I’m really happy to have booked my place on the plane to Doha,” said the Scottish record-holder and 2018 British champion.
“I only got back into spikes last Saturday. It has been a really stressful three weeks thinking ‘am I going to be on the start line?’ It has been a tough year.”
Like Williams, the past few years for McColgan have also been full of ups and downs and her run in Birmingham was further proof of her determination to make it on the team bound for Doha.
Breaking away early, she solo-ran her way to 5000m success, clocking 15:21.38 for a dominant win ahead of World University Games champion Jess Judd, whose strong finish saw her secure silver and the second automatic place for Doha ahead of European and Commonwealth medallist Laura Weightman – 15:35.82 to 15:36.73.
Blistering conditions at the Alexander Stadium saw the temperature reach about 30ºC during the race, with Melissa Courtney and Kate Avery among those not to finish.
“The last couple of years I’ve come in and been disappointed with my performance – I’ve come second or third and it has come down to a crazy sprint over the last 300m,” said European silver medallist McColgan. “I’m always jinxed at trials. This is the first one I’ve come into with no illnesses, no injuries.
“I’m healthy, I’m fit. I’m maybe not quite as sharp as I would like because I’ve had a big training block so the legs feel a bit sluggish but it’s the first time I’ve had a smooth build-up.
“I thought ‘this is it – run your own race, make the other girls hurt’. I wanted to make sure that I came here today and if I went off and I exploded and I came last then at least I gave it a pop, at least I tried.
“There were five girls with the qualifying time today so there could have been any two of us in that top two which makes it exciting. I’m obviously over the moon.”
The 800m also featured a strong field and the battle of the already-qualified athletes was won by European indoor champion Shelayna Oskan-Clarke as she pipped 2012 European winner Lynsey Sharp – 2:02.68 to 2:02.79 – with Alexandra Bell third in 2:02.87.
Sarah McDonald out-kicked double European under-23 champion Jemma Reekie to win the 1500m title in 4:22.95 and both were delighted to also make the team for Doha.
“I feel great,” said McDonald. “It feels good to come back here, after a few years of coming up short, to win the title.”
The 400m was won by Laviai Nielsen in 52.04 from Emily Diamond with 52.39 and Zoey Clark with 52.52, while Meghan Beesley retained her 400m hurdles title in 55.81 ahead of Jessica Turner in 56.06 as the top two in both races secured their world championships places.
The first track event of the day was the women’s 5000m race walk and that was won by Bethan Davies in 21:56.45 as she finished more than two and a half minutes ahead of the rest of the field.
Click here for a day two women’s field events report, while a men’s track events report is here and a field events report is here.
Last year's US Open women's final was marred by Serena Williams' outburst at the umpire, when she called him a "liar" and "thief" after he docked her a game.
With Australian Nick Kyrgios being fined $113,000 (£93,254) for five separate incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct earlier this month, players' on-court behaviour is under the spotlight once again.
From racquet-smashing to rants, how much can you remember about some of tennis' most dramatic tantrums?
Keep your cool and try our quiz.
Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova is among the favourites to win the women's singles at the US Open, which starts in New York on Monday.
In her first BBC Sport column, the 2016 finalist talks about having a hit with the legendary John McEnroe, her hopes of finally winning a first Grand Slam, realising Beyonce was watching her play at Flushing Meadows - and which movie you should next watch at the cinema…
As part of my US Open preparations, I spent my first two days of practising in New York at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, where I also got to hit with the legend himself.
I was practising with my coach Conchita Martinez and she asked John if he wanted to hit. He looked quite tired because he had just finished his session, but said he was OK to hit for 15 to 20 minutes.
It was competitive. I played a shot about five metres out and he was running like crazy to get this ball! He is super fit for his age and he still loves tennis.
The competitive edge never disappears. He still has amazing hands - he went to the net a lot and you could see that he really feels the ball on the racquet.
He also gave me advice about coming to the net a little more often. Speaking to great champions like John and Conchi can really help me.
It is always good to have someone who has been there at the top level, somebody who has won the biggest tournaments and knows what they are talking about when we are discussing certain situations.
Winning a Grand Slam is my dream. Having reached the final in 2016, being here definitely brings back great memories and motivation and I hope to go one step further - but you have to play your best in every match.
I believe there is a chance for me to go far at every Grand Slam, but it really is a step-by-step process focusing on one match at a time and one point at a time.
I've shown I have got the game to be successful at the majors, I have had a solid year so far with steady results and three titles, and I have a coach who has experienced these moments, so I will build up on that. But the journey at a Grand Slam is long and very different to the other tournaments because you cannot lose focus over the whole two weeks.
At the US Open, I will not be taking a day off - I need to practise on the days between matches. You can't afford to take a day off where you're not thinking about tennis.
I feel great at the moment and come into this event having reached the quarter-finals in Toronto and Cincinnati.
Of course, those two tournaments were still not as good as I was expecting, but I lost to two good players in Bianca Andreescu, who went on to win the Rogers Cup, and Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is always tough to beat.
I played some good matches in Toronto and Cincinnati and the goal during the North American swing is to get solid preparation for the US Open so going out in two quarter-finals is not something I am super frustrated about.
I also played the Cincinnati doubles with my twin sister, Kristyna, which was fun because we haven't played for a while and reached the semi-finals.
So I have had some nice moments since I've been in North America and I'm ready to start on Monday.
Playing at the US Open is always special for me because of the memories I have of reaching the final.
There are a number of reasons why I think I've done well here. First, the hard court is my favourite surface - I move better on it and feel more confident, and that's why I enjoy it more.
Another factor is the atmosphere at Flushing Meadows, which is very different to the other Grand Slams.
The chance to play on Arthur Ashe Stadium is always fun because it is more like a show here. It is not always only about tennis.
The atmosphere is more relaxed, there is music playing and the fans are all having fun.
Here they have celebrities appearing on the big screen, there is 'Kiss Cam' and you see people dancing on the changeovers.
I always like to look around at what's happening, because sometimes it is better to see different things rather than just thinking about tennis.
One of my favourite memories was seeing Beyonce in the crowd at one of my matches. It made me smile to know a superstar like her was in the same place as me.
A lot of players say they don't notice what is happening at the changeovers because they are really focused - but I think they do look!
Normally going to the cinema isn't something I do too regularly, but I went three times in a week recently - two days in a row in Toronto and then another day in Cincinnati.
We were far away from the downtown in Toronto and there was nothing to do, so I suggested going because there are a couple of good films out.
We saw the new Lion King, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Fast And Furious Presents: Hobbs And Shaw.
Everyone has been talking about Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and saying it is an incredible movie because it is a Quentin Tarantino film starring Leonardo di Caprio and Brad Pitt.
But I thought it was too long - about three hours - and not too interesting. So I would recommend Fast And Furious, that was the most fun and my favourite out of the three.
And, of course, I eat lots of popcorn when I go! I always have sweet caramel - and always take the biggest size. And I have a big cola…
When you go to the cinema you never think about the athlete's diet. It is a must have, so I'm not going to be super healthy there!
The presentations were made by Sarah Hanffou, the founder of Ping Sans Frontières, an organisation which uses table tennis as a vehicle for education and to make a positive change in society.
Sarah Hanffou explained:
“We are supporting Botswana because they presented a very interesting grassroots development project with two main goals; introducing table tennis in pre-schools through the building of concrete tables and use of mini tables, as well as cultivating an interest of playing table tennis at a younger stage. Also Uganda decided to bring a women’s team to the 12th African Games in Morocco, they are making huge efforts to support girls and women.
Kenya has also brought the youngest player of the tournament, Jenny Compell. We welcome her in the table tennis family and congratulate the Kenya Table Tennis Association for the efforts towards girls and women.
Countries like Eritrea, Guinea and Chad are participating in the African Games for the first time. We want to encourage them to participate in continental events and to set up table tennis programmes for girls. In Ghana, we have been supporting the NK Foundation based in Takoradi and the Asoba Foundation based in Accra. These foundations plan to introduce a competitive and educational component for children through table tennis mini cadet and the cadet league in the country. Moreover, they are specifically targeting young girls, focusing both on education and table tennis.
In Côte d’Ivoire, we have a partnership agreement since 2016. The main goal of this partnership is to support them in their development programme and especially the democratisation of table tennis for all.
We were able to make the donations thanks to our club partners in France, volunteers and to the brand Cornilleau who donated blades, rubbers and balls. Some shirts were also donated to these countries.
Concluding, Khaled El-Salhy, President of African Table Tennis Federation commended Ping Sans Frontières for their support; Fahd Daim, Secretary-General of the Kenya Table Tennis Association endorsed the views.
Chaired by Khaled El-Salhy, President of the African Table Tennis Federation with Steve Dainton, ITTF Chief Executive Officer, in attendance, a total of 18 countries were present.
Issues relating to the growth and promotion of the sport were discussed but the main highlight of the day was the selection of host nations for major continental championships in 2020.
Cameroon will stage the African Senior Championships, Madagascar will be the destination for the 2020 African Cadet and Junior Championships: Tunisia will welcome the Africa Top 16 Cup and Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament.
Decisions made but the voting was close, Cameroon gained the verdict against Tunisia by just one vote; meanwhile for Tunisia the outcome was secured by three votes, Algeria being the other bidding party.
The exercise was applauded by delegates and by Steve Dainton. He stressed the procedures were in line with good governance, whilst charging the Federation to continue to raise the bar for the sport.
Likewise, it was a positive response from Dr. Alaa Meshref, ITTF Executive Vice President.
“I am so excited with the progress made in Africa in terms of good governance. The Annual General Meeting showed that good governance has taken foot in the continent. I am happy and hope that this will continue to help in entrenching good governance and democracy in the administration of table tennis in Africa.” Dr. Alaa Meshref
Lin Yun-Ju’s journey was filled with potential banana skins right from round one in Olomouc, requiring an opening round comeback to see off fellow Chinese Taipei competitor Chen Chien-An in a seven-game thriller.
Victories over in form Portuguese player Marcos Freitas and Japanese qualifier Yuki Hirano, Lin then went on to post an impressive win against German legend Timo Boll (12-10, 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 5-11, 6-11, 11-8) to book his spot in the final.
At the final hurdle another German opponent stood opposite Lin, the no.4 seed Dimitrij Ovtcharov, who was chasing his first ITTF World Tour men’s singles gold in two years! Having met on three previous occasions it was Lin who led the head-to-head record 2:1 with the teenager prevailing in their most recent encounter at the 2019 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open.
Following a lengthy spell away from title matches on the World Tour Ovtcharov had shown promising form heading into the final, beating China’s Xue Fei, Belarusian legend Vladimir Samsonov, fellow compatriot Patrick Franziska and Brazil’s Hugo Calderano along the way. However, Lin proved too hot to handle, overpowering the former World no.1 across five games to lift the trophy.
“I am very happy to win my first World Tour title. I played against German players Boll and Ovtcharov before so I was familiar with their playing styles. In the final, I felt comfortable because I was able to attack first. Also, my coach helped me today. He called “Time Out” when I was losing and he advised me to change tactics and my service a little bit. I think that this title won’t change my career so much — the matches will be still the same, maybe even harder.” Lin Yun-Ju
Success in Olomouc might have signalled his first ITTF World Tour men’s singles title but it’s not Lin’s first highlight moment of the year: winning men’s singles gold at the 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Oman Open in Muscat, more recently Lin shocked the world with his awe-inspiring performance in Johor Bahru, beating an all-star cast to T2 Diamond Malaysia glory – Read about his sensational 2019 journey here.
Things are certainly looking up for Lin Yun-Ju and at just the right time with the 2020 Olympic Games just under a year away. If the young Chinese Taipei star continues to impress in the remaining months leading up to Tokyo 2020, then surely he will be present with the world’s finest in the Japanese capital.
Lin Yun-Ju just keeps getting better and better! The teenage talent from Chinese Taipei celebrated his debut gold medal at an ITTF World Tour men’s singles event on Sunday 25th August, when he defeated former world no.1 Dimitrij Ovtcharov in the final (11-9, 11-5, 4-11, 11-5, 11-9) at the 2019 Czech Open in Olomouc.
Judging by how the 18-year-old star has played throughout 2019, this could well be his first of many singles successes on international table tennis’ premier event series. This year, Lin already claimed consecutive mixed doubles titles at the China and Hong Kong Opens, a triple crown (men’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles titles) at the Challenge Plus Oman Open, as well as tasting individual glory at the T2 Diamond Malaysia event.
Runner-up to current world no.1 Xu Xin at the Japan Open in June, it has not taken long for Lin to bounce back and take top honours in Czech Republic, where he simply had too much quality, confidence and a characteristically cool mind for his opponents to handle.
His last two matches pitted him against two of the most experienced players on the international table tennis circuit, Ovtcharov and Timo Boll, whose combined age of 68 represents half a century more than Lin’s tender years, while the German duo also boast a total of 28 ITTF World Tour men’s singles titles.
Unfazed by the pair’s undisputed pedigree, Lin held his nerve firstly staving off what threatened to be another vintage Boll comeback to win in seven games (12-10, 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 5-11, 6-11, 11-8) and then defeating Ovtcharov, who had been so impressive throughout the week in Olomouc, with a most professional performance worthy of winning the ultimate prize.
– Lin Yun-Ju
It has been an unforgettable European summer for Chen Xingtong, who followed up victory at last week’s Bulgaria Open with success in Czech Republic. The Chinese 11th seed defeated 19-year-old Miu Hirano in the most intense of finals, with the Japanese 3rd seed staging an incredible comeback from 0-3 down to take the match to a seventh game, only for Chen to complete the job and break Hirano’s heart in the process (11-5, 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 12-14, 8-11, 11-8).
– Chen Xingtong
Both finalists had entered their showdown with all guns blazing after posting 4-1 scorelines in their respective semi-finals, Hirano ousting Japanese top seed Kasumi Ishikawa before Chen accounted for compatriot Feng Yalan. Hirano had already completed a mesmerising comeback from 0-3 down to win 4-3 in her quarter-final against China’s Liu Weishan on Saturday.
At only 14 years of age, Korea Republic’s Shin Yubin broke the record as the youngest ever mixed doubles winner at an ITTF World Tour event. The prodigious talent partnered compatriot and 16-year-old Cho Daeseong for their first international title as a pair after overcoming Japanese duo Mima Ito and Jun Mizutani in Saturday’s thrilling final (6-11, 15-13, 12-10, 16-18, 12-10). The victory was especially impressive as Ito and Mizutani had proven their credentials as a top pair themselves only one week prior when they won the Bulgaria Open.
Korea Republic had plenty to celebrate in the men’s doubles too, as Cho Daeseong and Lee Sangsu registered their first ITTF World Tour victory as a pair (for Cho it was his first ever) by defeating Chinese Taipei’s Liao Cheng-Ting and Lin Yun-Ju (11-4, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6).
The women’s doubles title went the way of Chinese duo Gu Yuting and Mu Zi, who entered the action in Olomouc from the qualification rounds. They defeated Japan’s Miu Hirano and Saki Shibata 3-1 in the final (9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6).
1,060 days had passed since the last time that four different countries were represented in the men’s and women’s singles finals of an ITTF World Tour event (the 2016 Belgium Open) – an eye-catching statistic, but one which only scratches the surface about the range and diversity of nationalities to have excelled here in Olomouc.
Brazil’s Hugo Calderano was a key player this week, the 2nd seed showing a typically inspirational fighting spirit when he overcame an ankle injury to defeat Russia’s Alexander Shibaev in the quarter-final, before falling short against Dimitrij Ovtcharov in the final four (11-7, 9-11, 6-11, 11-13, 11-6, 9-11).
All things considered, this was a fine tournament for Germany’s star trio of Ovtcharov, Boll and Patrick Franziska. Ovtcharov was imperious until the final hurdle and swept aside Franziska 4-0 in their quarter-final clash to claim the advantage in the race to join Boll in singles competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (click here to read more).
However, Franziska had impressed in the previous round when he fought back from 3-1 down to eliminate Rio 2016 bronze medallist Jun Mizutani. Arguably the king of comebacks, Boll too produced heart-stopping entertainment by clawing his way from 3-1 down against Lee Sangsu to reach the semi-final, where he very nearly did the same against eventual winner Lin Yun-Ju.
The women’s singles also benefitted from a greater unpredictability than ever at the Czech Open. Hirano played arguably her best table tennis since winning the 2016 Women’s World Cup, while Austria’s Sofia Polcanova and Korea Republic’s Jeon Jihee joined the quarter-final party.
At first glance, Olomouc – a city of just over 100,000 people – may not seem like a hive of international activity, but as far as table tennis is concerned, this event had all the ingredients necessary to excite a captive global audience and provide the latest proof of how the sport is continuing to grow in all corners of the world.
In modern times Asian nations, especially China, have been dominant, but in Olomouc, the four finalists in men’s and women’s singles flew the colours of four different flags.
There was China, represented by Chen Xingtong, playing Japan’s Miu Hirano for the women’s title. From Chinese Taipei, talented 18-year-old Lin Yun-Ju faced off with Ukrainian-born German legend Dimitrij Ovtcharov, who completed the party. A big four with four different passports was unusual enough, but layers below them quarter- and semi-finalists representing Austria, Germany and Brazil in singles and Austria, Hungary and Brazil in doubles seized their opportunities to challenge for finals. Make no mistake: the table tennis universe is expanding outward, and quickly.
Germany’s 1-2-3 punch of Timo Boll, Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Patrick Franziska is having an effect — all three made the quarter-finals, with Ovtcharov ultimately advancing to face Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju in the final. Lin, who captured his first ITTF World Tour title in Olomouc, dispatched Boll in the semi-final.
Boll and Ovtcharov are legends of the game, but the big surprise has been the emergence of 27-year-old Franziska, who took down former World no. 1 Fan Zhendong earlier this summer and has been playing some of the best table tennis of his career. He gives Germany just one more reason to be excited for the future.
The big-hitting, backflipping Hugo Calderano, the most exciting Brazilian player to grace the world stage since the great Hugo Hoyama, leads a South American team hungry for success. Fresh off his second consecutive Pan American Games title in men’s singles earlier this month, the 23-year-old from Rio de Janeiro arrived in the Czech Republic fresh and full of energy. He reached the semi-final, where he fell to Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
Good news for Brazil in doubles play stems from 35-year-old Gustavo Tsuboi and 19-year-old Bruna Takahashi, who reached the semi-finals in mixed doubles before suffering defeat at the hands of Japanese stars and eventual runners up Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito. Tsuboi and Takahashi are one more example of the veteran pairing with the promise of the future to further the nation’s aspirations.
European medallist Alexander Shibaev put on a show to reach the quarter-finals in the Cezch Republic. The 29-year-old has been something of an under the radar competitor in European competitions but made a lot of noise in Olomouc by fighting his way through China’s England’s Liam Pitchford and China’s Ma Te before ceding to Calderano in the round of eight. A sign of things to come?
He may not have made it past the round of 16, but Cristian Pletea’s takedown of top seed Tomokazu Harimoto in the first round of the main draw underscored the strength of this young Romanian and the unpredictability of even the most seemingly unshakable players. The 19-year-old’s strength is sure to serve him — and his nation — well in future tournaments.
Courageous play and a never-say-die attitude characterised the Austrian showing in Olomouc, with Sofia Polcanova leaving everything on the table in a winning battle to advance to the quarter-final over Japan’s Saki Shibata. Impressive too the play of Daniel Habesohn and Robert Gardos in men’s doubles, as well as Polcanova and Stefan Fegerl in mixed doubles, to reach the semi-finals in both categories. Austria, with room to grow, certainly has something to build on.
The four powerhouse nations of table tennis flexed their muscles in the Czech Republic, with all but Japan coming away with at least one title. The Czech Open may be remembered, among other things, as the coming out party for 16-year-old Cho Daeseong, who captured his first two ITTF World Tour wins in the same day, partnering with Shin Yubin in mixed doubles and later teaming with Lee Sangsu in men’s doubles.
Lin Yun-Ju, only 18 but the hope of Chinese Taipei, captured his first men’s singles title on the World Tour, defeating Dimitrij Ovtcharov in what history may look upon as a passing of the torch.
For Japan, there was disappointment for Harimoto, who made history with the Czech Open title in 2017, but plenty can be learned in defeat as well as victory. Japan can take solace in the performance of 19-year-old Miu Hirano, who nearly overcame a 0-3 start to challenge Chen Xingtong for the title in women’s singles, as well as runner up performances from Hirano and Shibata in women’s doubles and Mzutani and Ito in mixed doubles.
As for China, the planet’s most dominant players were absent from Olomouc, but reinforcements in the form of Chen Xingtong, who came out with her second consecutive win, and Gu Yuting and Mu Zi, who earned the women’s doubles title. The rest of the world may be catching up, but as the sun sets on Olomouc, China remains the nation to beat.
Squash gets a mention in that grand organ The Times
For crying out loud, it’s always best to be Hand-In
By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor
The best possible endorsement came in the Weekend section of The Times, where Body + Soul sex counsellor Suzi Godson answered a question from a reader who was talking about her overwhelming urge to masturbate at certain times of the month, even when her husband was lying fast asleep next to her in bed.
The headline reads: “I can’t sleep until I’ve had an orgasm.”
Ms Godson responded with a list of all the positive aspects of such DIY fulfilment, and concluded with the following statement:
“Going for a run or playing squash will provide the same endorphin boost and stress relief as an orgasm.”
There you have it. Proof indeed. I am now planning to add a new design to the global T-shirt arrangements in place for World Squash Day.
All ideas gratefully received.
Many people play squash simply for fun and exercise. For others, it’s all about winning, or, to put it another way, coming first.
I am sure our readers will not be put off using such squash-specific terms as “change your grip”, “nice length” and “hand-in, hand-out”.
However, those who prefer the two-handed Peter Marshall-style grip will be considered boastful.
Recommended reading: G-Spot Squash by Squash Mad columnist Tony Griffin. Link
To check out the World Squash Day T-shirt designs, with arrangements now in place for the UK, Mainland Europe, Canada and USA, and Australia about to be confirmed, please head to www.worldsquashday.net
The "dogged" victory over France proves Scotland have steel to go with their style, says Hamish Watson.
After a battering by the French in Nice last weekend, Gregor Townsend's side were criticised for lacking a Plan B to their high-tempo attacking game.
Watson believes rallying from 14-3 down to eke out a 17-14 home triumph was the perfect response with the World Cup fewer than four weeks away.
"It wasn't the rugby we're sometimes used to at Murrayfield," said Watson.
"We didn't score a load of tries and it wasn't that free-flowing at times, but we did prove we can show a bit of grit and determination.
"We went two tries down, and they were quite soft tries we let in, and mentally you have to try and overcome that. It's hard to come back from that sometimes when you concede a try early and they haven't really had to work for it at all.
"It showed the kind of playing group that we are that we can come back and win a bit doggedly as well at times."
For the third consecutive Test match, the Scots found themselves a try down within two minutes after Damien Penaud picked off Peter Horne's pass to race in.
Penaud added another to leave the Scots in a hole, but tries from Sean Maitland and Chris Harris edged them home for a win that was much needed after the travails of Nice.
"It was really important to get that victory, especially after not doing ourselves justice last weekend. France played really well last weekend and I think it took us a bit by surprise," added Edinburgh flanker Watson.
"This week demanded a performance from us, the player group demanded a performance and we went out there and did that in front of our home crowd."
The Scots now go into back-to-back matches against Georgia. First up is a trip to Tbilisi, after which Townsend will announce his final squad of 31 for the World Cup in Japan.
"It will be a really tough challenge against Georgia in Tbilisi," said Watson.
"It's a really good test for us because it will be similar conditions that we'll come up against in Japan. It will be a pretty hostile crowd and that will be the same sort of reception we'll get when we play Japan.
"We're the first tier-one nation to go over there and their crowd will be right behind them. They're a big, physical team and we'll have to be at our best to win that one and hopefully build confidence into the World Cup."
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