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| England charge on Six Nations title is rebuffed by France resistance | England charge on Six Nations title is rebuffed by France resistance |
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| England miss out on the Six Nations again after a madcap encounter left them six points short of first place. Both teams scored a record of number of points in the fixture here on a final day in the Six Nations as thrilling and daring as most of what had gone on before had been unexciting, like the Keystone Cops adapting War and Peace. | England miss out on the Six Nations again after a madcap encounter left them six points short of first place. Both teams scored a record of number of points in the fixture here on a final day in the Six Nations as thrilling and daring as most of what had gone on before had been unexciting, like the Keystone Cops adapting War and Peace. |
| England, the most adventurous team throughout, scored seven tries but conceded five. When the disappointment eases they can reflect on a tournament in which they made great strides – and the title was in reach until the very end, virtually every England player joining a rolling maul in the final minute that stalled just before reaching its destination. | England, the most adventurous team throughout, scored seven tries but conceded five. When the disappointment eases they can reflect on a tournament in which they made great strides – and the title was in reach until the very end, virtually every England player joining a rolling maul in the final minute that stalled just before reaching its destination. |
| Ireland’s victory over Scotland meant England had to win by 26 points to take the title, something they had not managed against France here in the Six Nations since 2001. Whereas Ireland, and Wales before them in Rome, were playing manifestly inferior opponents, the World Cup hosts were up against a side high on ability and experience that had conceded two tries in five Test matches without finding collective understanding in attack. | Ireland’s victory over Scotland meant England had to win by 26 points to take the title, something they had not managed against France here in the Six Nations since 2001. Whereas Ireland, and Wales before them in Rome, were playing manifestly inferior opponents, the World Cup hosts were up against a side high on ability and experience that had conceded two tries in five Test matches without finding collective understanding in attack. |
| It seemed England had to be patient, but it took them 90 seconds to score their first try after running the kick-off from their own 22 had ended in a France scrum when Luther Burrell spilled the ball in contact. Les Bleus tried to move slow, disrupted ball and Jules Plisson threw a shocking flat pass to Gaël Fickou that went to ground. | It seemed England had to be patient, but it took them 90 seconds to score their first try after running the kick-off from their own 22 had ended in a France scrum when Luther Burrell spilled the ball in contact. Les Bleus tried to move slow, disrupted ball and Jules Plisson threw a shocking flat pass to Gaël Fickou that went to ground. |
| Jonathan Joseph picked up and found Mike Brown outside him. The full-back veered inside for George Ford to loop around and skip towards the line before supplying his half-back colleague, Ben Youngs, with the scoring pass. Ford converted but was then wide with a long-range penalty after England had again got on top at a scrum. | Jonathan Joseph picked up and found Mike Brown outside him. The full-back veered inside for George Ford to loop around and skip towards the line before supplying his half-back colleague, Ben Youngs, with the scoring pass. Ford converted but was then wide with a long-range penalty after England had again got on top at a scrum. |
| England were playing at a pace too fast for France. Plisson’s poor pass to the onrushing Bernard Le Roux gave the hosts another chance to scavenge, but Burrell had too far to reach as he bent down to pick up the ball and knocked on. It was an expensive mistake. | England were playing at a pace too fast for France. Plisson’s poor pass to the onrushing Bernard Le Roux gave the hosts another chance to scavenge, but Burrell had too far to reach as he bent down to pick up the ball and knocked on. It was an expensive mistake. |
| France roused themselves, first through a Plisson penalty after Thierry Dusautoir had forced Ford to hold on after a tackle and then through his half-back partner, Sébastien Tillous-Borde who scampered away from a ruck after England had been turned over and had no defenders in position other than the prop Dan Cole. France were ahead: never mind the title, England had a match to win. | France roused themselves, first through a Plisson penalty after Thierry Dusautoir had forced Ford to hold on after a tackle and then through his half-back partner, Sébastien Tillous-Borde who scampered away from a ruck after England had been turned over and had no defenders in position other than the prop Dan Cole. France were ahead: never mind the title, England had a match to win. |
| They were playing with a sloppiness unbecoming of champions. Courtney Lawes fumbled, France counterattacked and Noa Nakaitaci finished off from 40 metres, although in his attempt to narrow the conversion for Plisson was hurried by Youngs into touching down at the same time as he put a foot over the dead-ball line. It took three minutes for the television match official to rule that the try was legitimate, but the more the incident was replayed the more dubious the score looked. | They were playing with a sloppiness unbecoming of champions. Courtney Lawes fumbled, France counterattacked and Noa Nakaitaci finished off from 40 metres, although in his attempt to narrow the conversion for Plisson was hurried by Youngs into touching down at the same time as he put a foot over the dead-ball line. It took three minutes for the television match official to rule that the try was legitimate, but the more the incident was replayed the more dubious the score looked. |
| England were by now playing with scrambled heads. Their head coach, Stuart Lancaster, had said all week that he had had enough of finishing second and that looked about to change, if not in the way he envisaged with Wales the more likely runners-up. They were fortunate Plisson was showing why he started the year as his country’s third-choice outside-half. He had a kick charged down by Joe Marler before missing two penalties that were low on the difficulty scale. | England were by now playing with scrambled heads. Their head coach, Stuart Lancaster, had said all week that he had had enough of finishing second and that looked about to change, if not in the way he envisaged with Wales the more likely runners-up. They were fortunate Plisson was showing why he started the year as his country’s third-choice outside-half. He had a kick charged down by Joe Marler before missing two penalties that were low on the difficulty scale. |
| Ford showed how from 45 metres after another scrum ended in a penalty but his side trailed by five points 10 minutes before the interval with France looking, if not comfortable, far from discomfited. England then won a turnover just inside their own half and Youngs set off, defenders trailing the scrum-half as he made his way to the France 22 where he found Ford who was tackled just short of the line by Yoann Maestri. | Ford showed how from 45 metres after another scrum ended in a penalty but his side trailed by five points 10 minutes before the interval with France looking, if not comfortable, far from discomfited. England then won a turnover just inside their own half and Youngs set off, defenders trailing the scrum-half as he made his way to the France 22 where he found Ford who was tackled just short of the line by Yoann Maestri. |
| James Haskell appeared to have knocked on, but the ball came off his right shin, and the flanker picked up to give Anthony Watson the task of making the catch to score. Ford’s conversion from wide out restored England’s lead before Youngs, who a year ago played for his club, Leicester, during the Six Nations, provided the inspiration his side needed. | |
| Youngs took a throw-in quickly, throwing to Joseph, who was standing behind his own line. | Youngs took a throw-in quickly, throwing to Joseph, who was standing behind his own line. |
| The centre’s only thought was to run, which he kept on doing, over the 22, 10-metre line and halfway before kicking towards the France line with the outside of his right foot. Le Roux was the first to the ball, but after being challenged by Burrell, he held on and was penalised. Youngs took it quickly and his second try followed. | The centre’s only thought was to run, which he kept on doing, over the 22, 10-metre line and halfway before kicking towards the France line with the outside of his right foot. Le Roux was the first to the ball, but after being challenged by Burrell, he held on and was penalised. Youngs took it quickly and his second try followed. |
| Ford ended the half with a penalty and at 27-15 ahead, England were nearly halfway to their target. Two minutes into the second half, they had a lot more to do as France, playing with a freedom long absent, scored their third try through Guilhem Guirado’s pass out of the back of his hand to Maxime Mermoz. | |
| Then it went completely crazy. Youngs spotted a prop guarding a ruck and jogged past him to send in Ford; Rory Kockott kicked a penalty after Billy Vunipola failed to roll away; Jack Nowell stepped out of trouble for his first try: Mermoz’s delayed pass to Nakaitaci set up a try for Vincent Debaty; Billy Vunipola forced his way over; then Benjamin Kayser did the same. | Then it went completely crazy. Youngs spotted a prop guarding a ruck and jogged past him to send in Ford; Rory Kockott kicked a penalty after Billy Vunipola failed to roll away; Jack Nowell stepped out of trouble for his first try: Mermoz’s delayed pass to Nakaitaci set up a try for Vincent Debaty; Billy Vunipola forced his way over; then Benjamin Kayser did the same. |
| It was like a tennis rally. Haskell was in the sin-bin for tripping Plisson and when they were back up to 15, England pulled within six points of the title as Nowell scored his second try. England had the opportunity to get the try they needed when France were penalised at a scrum 90 seconds from time. | It was like a tennis rally. Haskell was in the sin-bin for tripping Plisson and when they were back up to 15, England pulled within six points of the title as Nowell scored his second try. England had the opportunity to get the try they needed when France were penalised at a scrum 90 seconds from time. |
| Ford kicked to touch, England won the ball and virtually every player joined a rolling maul that collapsed as it got to the line. There was no penalty, but Billy Twelvetrees was blown for sealing off. France, not realising the countdown clock had reached zero, tapped and went before Kockott brought an end to the madness. | Ford kicked to touch, England won the ball and virtually every player joined a rolling maul that collapsed as it got to the line. There was no penalty, but Billy Twelvetrees was blown for sealing off. France, not realising the countdown clock had reached zero, tapped and went before Kockott brought an end to the madness. |