At least Scotland's rugby faithful had the consolation of being able to drown their sorrows as they watched their side capitulate to the French yesterday in the opening match of the Six Nations Championship.

It was the first match staged at Murrayfield since the alcohol ban at men's senior international rugby matches, introduced in 1980, was lifted.

The price of £3.50 per pint may well have been a sobering experience in the 67,778 sell-out crowd but the move was warmly embraced by the spectators on a bitterly cold afternoon in Edinburgh.

Lothian and Borders Police reported no incidents of drunken behaviour during the game in which the home side crashed 27-6. A spokesman said: "The crowd was very well-behaved."

The Scottish Government has hinted the lifting of the ban may well be extended to football stadiums to bring them in line with south of the border and yesterday's evidence was positive.

Pre-match tradition at Murrayfield usually entails squeezing into busy nearby public houses and hotels or a picnic in the car park on the back pitches at Murrayfield.

The constant downpour in recent days put paid to the latter idea as the car park was closed amid fears it would be turned into a quagmire so the alternative of enjoying a drink in the stadium was welcomed with the gates opening two hours before kick-off.

As a result, the customary congestion at the turnstiles as spectators make the dash from the pub to the stadium at the last minute did not materialise.

Local publicans, who could have suffered a downturn in trade, did not seem adversely affected.

Craig Ford, manager of the Roseburn Bar - a popular watering hole for rugby fans within close proximity of Murrayfield - said: "They were still queuing at the front door, so there are plenty of people to go round to keep everyone happy.

"I think the supporters definitely needed a drink watching that performance, it was very disappointing."

Nick Gdula, 24, a student from Edinburgh, said: "It seemed to be very popular and it was quite refreshing to be able to enjoy a pint during the game and there was a better atmosphere.

"The bars were not too busy before the game but that is because the staff were ready for the rush and had pre-poured pints so the waiting time was only a couple of minutes.

"Half-time was a lot busier but my friend only had a wait of about 10 minutes before he got served so they handled it very well."

Brian Jamieson, 66, from Perth, added: "It was a bit cold to be drinking beer from a plastic tumbler so I did not participate. But a lot of people around me certainly did and they were happy the ban had been lifted."

Thousands of pints were sold before and during the game, bringing a welcome boost to the cash-strapped Scottish Rugby Union.

Scottish Rugby chief executive Gordon McKie said: "Rugby supporters at Murrayfield have long demonstrated their ability to enjoy themselves and support their team. We welcome the Scottish Government's decision to bring us into line with every other major international rugby stadium around the world in allowing us to sell alcohol to supporters. Those who wish to enjoy a pint can do so responsibly."

Kenny MacAskill, the Justice Secretary, attended the game and was also happy with the outcome.

He explained: "When I took the decision last year to allow alcohol to be sold for international matches at Murrayfield I made clear that this wasn't about granting rugby fans a licence to get drunk. It was, and still is, about being able to enjoy a pint during the match but doing so responsibly.

"It's not the drink that's the problem, it's how we're drinking it and I expect the fans to show they can be trusted. If they don't I'll have no hesitation in reinstating the ban - especially if there are problems with alcohol retailing or public safety."

Murrayfield was included in the ban which was introduced as part of the Criminal Justice(Scotland) Act 1980 following the aftermath of a Celtic versus Rangers match when fans clashed on the pitch.