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France Secures Six Nations Title in Thrilling High-Scoring Match Against England
While milling around the Stade de France two hours before kickoff, an England supporter succinctly summed up his team’s Six Nations campaign for BBC Sport: “Confusing.”
The 48-46 defeat, sealed by a late France penalty, only adds to the ambiguity.
In a match that defied expectations, somehow surpassing Scotland’s 50-40 victory over France the previous week, the tension, controversy, and dramatic conclusion had everyone in the stadium on the edge of their seats.
The game featured ninety-four points, 13 tries, five lead changes, two yellow cards, and countless narratives.
Sorting through the aftermath of such a chaotic and momentous occasion presents a challenge.
First and foremost, England demonstrated notable improvement. While the previous defeats against Scotland, Ireland, and Italy set a low benchmark, England displayed renewed intensity and precision.
Their attack showed improved cohesion, posing difficult questions on the flanks, executing intelligent kicks, and applying forceful pressure through the middle.
Tommy Freeman delivered his strongest performance at centre for England, making astute decisions, running effective lines, and connecting well with his wingers.
The forwards aggressively challenged France, making impactful tackles, disrupting several scrums, and effectively utilizing the driving maul against a heavier pack.
Ollie Chessum, brought in for his power, delivered emphatically, scoring two tries, setting up Alex Coles’ score with a skillful pass, and engaging fiercely in close combat. Captain Maro Itoje showed his best form of the tournament, proving exceptionally difficult to displace at the breakdown.
They pushed a highly talented, albeit inconsistent, France team to the limit and validated their endorsements of head coach Steve Borthwick with their performance on the field.
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Borthwick ‘disappointed’ with England losses
“England were blistering – their pace, their skill, their intensity, their physicality and they had a genuine chance of winning,” said former England scrum-half Matt Dawson on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“I feel for the players because they are going to be down, but I want them to be super, super positive because if they carry on playing like that for the next 18 months they are going to challenge in big tournaments and big games, and they are going to win big games.”
However, once the adrenaline subsides, critical questions will inevitably emerge.
Should England have secured the victory?
After Chessum secured the restart, and with the ball safely at the base, Sam Underhill, Henry Pollock, and Chandler Cunningham-South poised as a potential pod, could England have retained possession and run down the clock with just two minutes remaining?
Instead, Jack van Poortvliet, who had injected energy off the bench, opted to kick the ball away and infield. Matthieu Jalibert, known for his open-field prowess, seized the opportunity to counter, putting England back under pressure.
Failing to close out victories was a recurring issue in a series of narrow defeats in autumn 2024, a pattern England must avoid repeating.
Another persistent issue is indiscipline. Only one team in Six Nations history—Italy in 2002—has accumulated more cards than England this year.
The eight yellow cards, two of which contributed to Henry Arundell’s 20-minute red card against Scotland, have consistently hampered England.
Ellis Genge was sent to the sin-bin in Paris for deliberately collapsing a France driving maul that appeared destined for the try line.
Borthwick described the decision as harsh and indicated he would seek clarification from World Rugby regarding the awarding of a penalty try.
While the call may have been debatable, England knew the stakes were high when defending their own line, and any infringement would carry severe consequences.
France regained the lead in Genge’s absence.
France claim title with last kick
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A finale worthy of the greatest Six Nations ever
Fin Smith ran the ball seven times in a physical display at fly-half
More broadly, the inconsistent performances throughout England’s campaign are perplexing.
The post-tournament review must identify the reasons behind the lackluster showings in the defeats to Scotland, Ireland, and Italy.
A return of only one win in the campaign—England’s worst in Six Nations history—is too glaring to be overshadowed by their performance in Paris.
The next Rugby World Cup will feature a last-16 knockout stage. England, currently seeded to face Italy at that point, must navigate a four-match tightrope between the pool stages and the ultimate prize.
They cannot afford the lapses in concentration and off-days that have occurred in this tournament if they hope to contend. Consistency is paramount.
“We’re gutted that we went into the tournament with such high expectations and aspirations and we’ve not been able to meet those targets,” Borthwick said.
“It’s been a painful tournament and we’re all hurting. I know the supporters are hurting as well. We wanted to make sure they had wins to celebrate and we weren’t able to give that.
“Everyone involved in the team cares so deeply, so the immediate reflection is one of huge disappointment.
“There’s a sense of determination to make sure that this hurt makes the team stronger in the future.”
Onwards and upwards.
South Africa, at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park—1,753m above sea level—presents England’s next formidable challenge.
For England’s fans and management, the high altitude may offer a clearer perspective on the team and its prospects.
France take title with thrilling last-gasp win over England
Recap: France win Six Nations with sensational 48-46 victory over England
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