England Edge France in Thrilling Six Nations Clash

High-Stakes First Half

The opening exchanges were a tale of missed opportunities for France. Thomas Ramos, usually flawless from the tee, surprisingly missed an early penalty. Antoine Dupont and Damian Penaud also let clear chances slip, allowing England to stay level despite heavy defensive pressure.

France eventually broke through in the 30th minute, with Louis Bielle-Biarrey finishing off a slick counter-attack. England responded swiftly, Ollie Lawrence fending off Ramos to score and ensure a 7-7 halftime deadlock.

Momentum Swings in the Second Half

The second half exploded into life, with both teams trading blows. Ramos slotted two penalties to push France ahead before England’s Fin Smith delivered a pinpoint cross-field kick for Tommy Freeman to touch down. However, Marcus Smith missed the conversion, keeping France in front.

Penaud’s try in the 65th minute seemed to put France in control, but England refused to back down. Fin Baxter bulldozed over the line, and Fin Smith’s conversion edged England ahead at 19-18.

Last-Minute Heroics

With five minutes remaining, Bielle-Biarrey’s second try put France back in front at 25-19. Twickenham held its breath as England launched one final assault. Fin Smith orchestrated the attack, and in the dying moments, Elliot Daly sliced through the French defense for the game-winning try. Smith added the conversion to complete a breathtaking comeback.

What’s Next?

This victory snaps England’s losing streak against top-tier nations and injects fresh confidence into their Six Nations campaign. With Scotland up next, Borthwick’s squad will look to build on this momentum and keep their title hopes alive.