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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 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A remarkable final day of what had been an unremarkable tournament went down to the final minute as England drove a maul to France’s line in search of the six points they needed to secure a first title in four years. Down the maul went and up went the arms of the England players as they looked to the referee, Nigel Owens, in the hope that he would be signalling a penalty try. | A remarkable final day of what had been an unremarkable tournament went down to the final minute as England drove a maul to France’s line in search of the six points they needed to secure a first title in four years. Down the maul went and up went the arms of the England players as they looked to the referee, Nigel Owens, in the hope that he would be signalling a penalty try. |
| It was an England player, Billy Twelvetrees, who was eventually penalised for sealing off as the countdown clock reached zero. Even then a madcap day was not done with folly and frolic as France, on their own line, 20 points down and with nothing at all to gain, tapped and ran. Starting with the lunchtime riot in Rome, the afternoon had so shattered perceptions and stereotypes with its ambition and try-scoring that it was as if the Keystone Cops had been asked to adapt War and Peace for the big screen. | It was an England player, Billy Twelvetrees, who was eventually penalised for sealing off as the countdown clock reached zero. Even then a madcap day was not done with folly and frolic as France, on their own line, 20 points down and with nothing at all to gain, tapped and ran. Starting with the lunchtime riot in Rome, the afternoon had so shattered perceptions and stereotypes with its ambition and try-scoring that it was as if the Keystone Cops had been asked to adapt War and Peace for the big screen. |
| Related: Ireland win Six Nations after long wait when England fall short | |
| Each game had a decisive twist in its closing moments: Wales would have won the title had they taken a try-scoring opportunity rather than giving one away: Ireland would have lost it had Stuart Hogg’s claim for a try been upheld and a conversion followed; England, whose cause looked to be forlorn when they conceded a second try with James Haskell in the sin-bin for tripping Jules Plisson and needed two converted tries to win in the final six minutes, were a refereeing decision away from a notable achievement. | Each game had a decisive twist in its closing moments: Wales would have won the title had they taken a try-scoring opportunity rather than giving one away: Ireland would have lost it had Stuart Hogg’s claim for a try been upheld and a conversion followed; England, whose cause looked to be forlorn when they conceded a second try with James Haskell in the sin-bin for tripping Jules Plisson and needed two converted tries to win in the final six minutes, were a refereeing decision away from a notable achievement. |
| The drama was played out over seven hours. Had the three matches started simultaneously and the finales been the same, Einstein’s ghost would have had to be summoned to instantly compute the mathematics. Everything came down to the last part of the final act: there were 90 seconds to go when England were awarded a penalty at a scrum in France’s half and, with three points no use, kicked to touch. | The drama was played out over seven hours. Had the three matches started simultaneously and the finales been the same, Einstein’s ghost would have had to be summoned to instantly compute the mathematics. Everything came down to the last part of the final act: there were 90 seconds to go when England were awarded a penalty at a scrum in France’s half and, with three points no use, kicked to touch. |
| England had started strongly but fell apart for 20 minutes, reassembled themselves and ultimately managed to put themselves in a position to win the title. The crowd had been loud all game but, for the first time, hope had been replaced by expectation. Rolling mauls were England’s thing and – once the throw from Tom Youngs, unlike two others in the visitors’ 22 earlier in the final quarter, was collected and the drive put in gear – France went into reverse. Most of the players in white joined in and, at the point when whoever was in possession of the ball was thinking about reaching out for glory, the maul went down. | England had started strongly but fell apart for 20 minutes, reassembled themselves and ultimately managed to put themselves in a position to win the title. The crowd had been loud all game but, for the first time, hope had been replaced by expectation. Rolling mauls were England’s thing and – once the throw from Tom Youngs, unlike two others in the visitors’ 22 earlier in the final quarter, was collected and the drive put in gear – France went into reverse. Most of the players in white joined in and, at the point when whoever was in possession of the ball was thinking about reaching out for glory, the maul went down. |
| Owens, not known for a reluctance to make big decisions, let play go on before penalising Twelvetrees for trying to prevent France from getting at the ball. | Owens, not known for a reluctance to make big decisions, let play go on before penalising Twelvetrees for trying to prevent France from getting at the ball. |
| England had scored more points against France than ever before, taking their try tally for the tournament to 18 and looking like a team capable of making an impact in the World Cup – combining power up front with pace and panache. But competition is about winning and it was another case of Lancaster’s bombers. | England had scored more points against France than ever before, taking their try tally for the tournament to 18 and looking like a team capable of making an impact in the World Cup – combining power up front with pace and panache. But competition is about winning and it was another case of Lancaster’s bombers. |
| Strength is built through adversity and there was much for England to take from the game. A year ago, Ben Youngs was playing for Leicester having been reduced to his country’s third-choice scrum-half. He opened the tournament by creating faultlines in Wales’s defence and gave England the ideal start here with a try in the second minute after Jonathan Joseph had helped himself to a loose ball. | Strength is built through adversity and there was much for England to take from the game. A year ago, Ben Youngs was playing for Leicester having been reduced to his country’s third-choice scrum-half. He opened the tournament by creating faultlines in Wales’s defence and gave England the ideal start here with a try in the second minute after Jonathan Joseph had helped himself to a loose ball. |
| Related: England unleash spirit of liberation but suffer torment against France | Eddie Butler | |
| England squandered that start, caught between chasing a target that was larger than they had expected and playing for territory. They conceded possession at a ruck on France’s 10-metre line and Sébastien Tillous-Borde found himself with the prop Dan Cole for company on his 60-metre run to the line before the wing Noa Nakaitaci had a run-in which he nearly blew by going too close to the posts and being pushed out of play by Youngs. | England squandered that start, caught between chasing a target that was larger than they had expected and playing for territory. They conceded possession at a ruck on France’s 10-metre line and Sébastien Tillous-Borde found himself with the prop Dan Cole for company on his 60-metre run to the line before the wing Noa Nakaitaci had a run-in which he nearly blew by going too close to the posts and being pushed out of play by Youngs. |
| France led 15-7 and England were fortunate Plisson was profligate from the tee, leaving eight points there. George Ford, after pushing an early long-range penalty wide, kicked his next two and added seven conversions out of seven. | France led 15-7 and England were fortunate Plisson was profligate from the tee, leaving eight points there. George Ford, after pushing an early long-range penalty wide, kicked his next two and added seven conversions out of seven. |
| It was tries that England needed and France, the Scrooges of the tournament, suddenly found joy in giving them – Anthony Watson finished a counterattack sparked by Youngs’ 40m break before the scrum-half, after Ford’s clearance had been charged down by Gaël Fickou, took a quick throw to Joseph, even though the centre was standing behind his own line. Off he went, over the 22 line, 10-metre line and beyond, kicking towards the France line where Bernard Le Roux was penalised for killing the ball and Youngs tapped, went and scored. | It was tries that England needed and France, the Scrooges of the tournament, suddenly found joy in giving them – Anthony Watson finished a counterattack sparked by Youngs’ 40m break before the scrum-half, after Ford’s clearance had been charged down by Gaël Fickou, took a quick throw to Joseph, even though the centre was standing behind his own line. Off he went, over the 22 line, 10-metre line and beyond, kicking towards the France line where Bernard Le Roux was penalised for killing the ball and Youngs tapped, went and scored. |
| England led 27-15 at half-time, nearly halfway there, and the interval instruction seemed to be to calm down and play more for position. Theory is one thing, practice another and when Ford put out a kick on the full one minute after the restart, France roused themselves and Guilhem Guirado’s pass out of the back of his hand gave Maxime Mermoz a try under the posts. | England led 27-15 at half-time, nearly halfway there, and the interval instruction seemed to be to calm down and play more for position. Theory is one thing, practice another and when Ford put out a kick on the full one minute after the restart, France roused themselves and Guilhem Guirado’s pass out of the back of his hand gave Maxime Mermoz a try under the posts. |
| A pattern was established of one side scoring after the other as a mad match went completely crazy. Ben 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; 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. | A pattern was established of one side scoring after the other as a mad match went completely crazy. Ben 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; 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. |
| Nowell’s second try seemed to tilt the match towards England, as if they were touched by destiny. France, if not looking shot, found themselves having to give more at a time when it looked as if they had done enough. | Nowell’s second try seemed to tilt the match towards England, as if they were touched by destiny. France, if not looking shot, found themselves having to give more at a time when it looked as if they had done enough. |
| Two threes was all England needed, but in the end it was a case of Twelvetrees and the case of the refereeing decision that could have gone either way. Given the history of World Cups, it should be different come the autumn. | Two threes was all England needed, but in the end it was a case of Twelvetrees and the case of the refereeing decision that could have gone either way. Given the history of World Cups, it should be different come the autumn. |
| ENGLAND Brown; Watson (Cipriani 62), Joseph, Burrell (Twelvetrees 71), Nowell; Ford, B Youngs (Wigglesworth 71); Marler (M Vunipola 62), Hartley (T Youngs 53), Cole (Brookes 62), Parling (Easter 67), Lawes, Haskell (Wood 67), Robshaw (capt), B Vunipola Sin-bin Haskell 57 Tries B Youngs 2, Watson, Ford, Nowell 2, Vunipola Cons Ford 7 Pens Ford 2 | ENGLAND Brown; Watson (Cipriani 62), Joseph, Burrell (Twelvetrees 71), Nowell; Ford, B Youngs (Wigglesworth 71); Marler (M Vunipola 62), Hartley (T Youngs 53), Cole (Brookes 62), Parling (Easter 67), Lawes, Haskell (Wood 67), Robshaw (capt), B Vunipola Sin-bin Haskell 57 Tries B Youngs 2, Watson, Ford, Nowell 2, Vunipola Cons Ford 7 Pens Ford 2 |
| FRANCE Spedding; Huget, Fickou, Mermoz (Bastareaud 71), Nakaitaci; Plisson, Tillous-Borde (Kockott 47); Debaty (Atonio 60), Guirado (Kayser 47), Mas (Slimani 47), Flanquart, Maestri (Taofifenua 67), Dusautior (capt), Goujon (Chouly 62), Le Roux Tries Tillous-Borde, Nakaiaci. Mermoz, Debaty, Kayser Cons Plisson 2 Pens Plisson, Kockott | FRANCE Spedding; Huget, Fickou, Mermoz (Bastareaud 71), Nakaitaci; Plisson, Tillous-Borde (Kockott 47); Debaty (Atonio 60), Guirado (Kayser 47), Mas (Slimani 47), Flanquart, Maestri (Taofifenua 67), Dusautior (capt), Goujon (Chouly 62), Le Roux Tries Tillous-Borde, Nakaiaci. Mermoz, Debaty, Kayser Cons Plisson 2 Pens Plisson, Kockott |
| Twickenham 82,319 Game rating 9/10 Referee Nigel Owens (Wales) | Twickenham 82,319 Game rating 9/10 Referee Nigel Owens (Wales) |