The last game of this season’s Six Nations was the most impressive. As the game ended with a magnificent display in Lyon, France secured second place on the table while England fell to third. However, the true highlight was the exceptional level of entertainment provided by both teams who never gave up.

For a brief moment, let’s forget that Ireland has won the Six Nations trophy this year. Let’s focus on the fact that the most memorable moments in the last two matches featured the English team, who have also managed to regain the trust of their fans. Despite not being able to secure a fourth victory out of five games, their impressive comeback from a 16-3 deficit after 39 minutes only solidifies the progress England has made.

Until the very closing moments it seemed that Tommy Freeman’s 75th-minute try and George Ford’s touchline conversion had won the day, only for Thomas Ramos to steal it away with a last-gasp 50m penalty after Ben Earl had been pinged for a no-arms tackle. Before that, after the second of Ollie Lawrence’s two compelling tries and a jinking score from Marcus Smith, it had looked as if Steve Borthwick’s side might be on the verge of something extra special.

France finished their uneven campaign strong, with a 59th-minute try from Gaël Fickou and an impressive performance from scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec, who also scored a try during the first half. Ramos’s precise kicking added 18 points and he confidently secured the game-winning long-range shot.

Discussing the highly anticipated match between England and France, the intensity and energy were palpable. While England may attribute their struggles to the unexpected injury of George Furbank, France appeared to be a completely different team compared to their sluggish performance in previous rounds.

This was also the first time France have won four successive home championship games against England since 1972, one of several interesting stats floating around in the aftermath. It was also England’s seventh final day defeat in their past eight campaigns but at least they restored some much-needed pride after a record 53-10 beating at Twickenham this time last year.

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In the second half, Earl played with great energy and made a remarkable 17 tackles. Lawrence, Ford, and Ollie Chessum also had strong performances and contributed greatly. The quick succession of 21 points by the English team in just eight minutes before and after half time would typically secure a win, but their lineout error resulted in Fickou’s crucial score.

However, it would not be fair to criticize too harshly the impressive performance during a serene and pleasant evening. The entire match was captivating, with France starting off strong like a high-speed train. Fickou’s clever pass through his legs created an opportunity for a powerful run down the left wing, and England had to defend against some fierce charges from the mighty French forwards. A bit more precision from the French side was all that was missing. The early departure of a visibly disappointed Furbank within the first eight minutes added even more pressure on England. Thus, it was a sigh of relief when Ford successfully converted a penalty kick with only seconds remaining, after a scrum had collapsed.

The game had an unpredictable pace, as is common in matches between England and France. The last time England won on French territory was in 2016, and surprisingly, there were seven players on the current team who were also in the winning team then. The first try of the game was scored by the energetic and talented Le Garrec, with assistance from the talented full-back Leo Barré who made a smooth left-handed pass to seal the score.

France was unable to capitalize on the numerous opportunities they had created while England was struggling to keep up. Charles Ollivon made another impressive line-break, which could have resulted in a second try, but Ramos scored a penalty kick instead, giving his team a 10-point lead. The visitors were hopeful that their opponents would struggle to maintain the intense pace.

Ramos made another fatal mistake that resulted in a 50m penalty, increasing the score to 16-3. Just before the interval, England managed to turn things around with Lawrence breaking through Fickou’s tackle and scoring a try next to the posts. Ford easily converted, bringing their score up. This marks the first time since the 1970s that England has consistently been losing at half-time during this championship.

In the first half, the statistics showed that England had failed to make 25 tackles while France only gave away three penalties. However, a rugby game lasts for 80 minutes. As expected, it was England who quickly responded after the break, scoring two tries in quick succession. Lawrence scored his second try by reaching out while Earl’s powerful run gave Smith the opportunity to score in a stylish manner.

In a swift turn of events, England was leading 24-16 and it appeared that the French players were struggling. Would they be able to make a comeback? The exciting answer was yes, with the help of a poorly executed throw during a lineout by France, followed by a strategic kick from Ramos, leading to the strategic move made by Fickou. While on another day, Freeman’s try and Ford’s impressive conversion would have been the standout moments, this time it was Ramos who ultimately sealed the victory for France.

Source: theguardian.com