England 26-25 France: Last-gasp Elliot Daly try seals dramatic Six Nations victory at Allianz Stadium

Elliot Daly’s late effort clinched a bonus-point Six Nations win in the final minute for England

A superb England performance saw them get their Six Nations campaign back on track against an error-filled France, sealing a 26-25 victory at Twickenham courtesy of a last-gasp Elliot Daly try. 

Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored for France with five minutes to play to seemingly steal a dramatic win in rain-sodden conditions, but England had other ideas.

Centre Ollie Lawrence, wing Tommy Freeman and replacement prop Fin Baxter also scored tries for the hosts as they fought back from six points down in the second half to lead by a point with nine minutes to play against a heavily-fancied French side.

Wings Bielle-Biarrey (two) and Damian Penaud scored tries for France, with full-back Thomas Ramos adding 10 points via his boot.

Marcus Smith missed five points off the kicking tee, while in the absence of the suspended Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont was shifted out of position to fly-half for France in the second period, but they were never at their fluent best.

Daly scored the match-winning try right at the end of the game

France settled into the contest in possession quicker, but a series of handling errors in the conditions denied them an early opening score.

Centre Pierre-Louis Barassi sent an unsympathetic pass infield which Bielle-Biarrey couldn’t claim, second-row Alexandre Roumat dropped the ball in the England 22, Dupont couldn’t hold onto a pass in the corner and Penaud twice spilled ball on the attack – the second with a seemingly certain try on out left. Ramos also missed a penalty from directly in front.

Eventually the French waves gave way to a score on the half-hour, as an England error in gifting possession back to Les Bleus saw Dupont pick up a poor Yoram Moefana offload which fell to deck, sprint to the outside of Fin Smith and find Penaud on the inside. The wing then produced a clever kick ahead which Bielle-Biarrey showed sizzling pace to reach and ground.

France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored the opening try of the Test after a number of earlier French errors

England’s response to that try concession was superb, however, as Marcus Smith, Freeman and Alex Mitchell each provided impetus going forward, forcing covering France prop Jean-Baptiste Gros to carry back over his try-line.

From five metres out, relentless England attack fuelled with bags of energy eventually brought them level – Lawrence handing off Ramos and running in after a Fin Smith spillage was checked by the TMO for a knock-on but proven as backwards.

Ollie Lawrence scored for England to level the contest in the first half

France started the second half in much the same way they had the first: making errors.

Roumat knocked on again in the England 22, hooker Peato Mauvaka dropped a Bielle-Biarrey pass when being played in for a try, while No 8 Gregory Alldritt also spilled possession under little pressure.

On 50 minutes, the boot of Ramos edged France into the lead with the home side caught offside, but England – as they did throughout the Test – responded positively with Maro Itoje getting over the ball for a breakdown penalty.

The hosts turned down a shot at posts and chance to level the game to go to the corner, but it proved the wrong call when Mauvaka completed a turnover.

A France scrum penalty won against the head saw Ramos stretch the lead to six points, but within two minutes Freeman soared to claim a superb Fin Smith cross-field kick which isolated Bielle-Biarrey.

Tommy Freeman got over for England’s second try of the game

Marcus Smith poorly missed the conversion wide for the lead, and before long France scored again through a Penaud try in the corner on 61 minutes.

Smith missed a chance off the tee to cut France’s lead back to three points with another poor kick, but with nine minutes to go Baxter forced his way over – Fin Smith converting for a one-point advantage.

Bielle-Biarrey then seemed to win it as France ruthlessly punished England mistakes, but a scrum penalty set England up for one last attack, with replacement Daly exploding onto the ball and over to confirm victory.

Bielle-Biarrey seemed to have won the game with five minutes to play, but England took their final chance

Borthwick: England’s ceiling is massive

England head coach Steve Borthwick speaking to ITV:

“You want things to happen instantly. This England team is going to be a special team, there is a lot of young talent. Their ceiling is so high, but what you’ve got to do is keep working hard.

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England head coach Steve Borthwick says England’s Six Nations win against France was a great spectacle at Twickenham

“Today, you saw some things improve, you saw their bravery, courage with the ball – they are a team who want to score tries. We scored four tries against a brilliant France defence and restricted them to three.

“It was an exciting Test match, I’m delighted for the players and exceptionally happy for the supporters, who are always magnificent behind this team and produced a special atmosphere.”

Fin Smith was named player of the match after a brilliant performance from fly-half

Player of the match Fin Smith salutes England fight

England fly-half Fin Smith speaking to ITV:

“It was back and forth. We have lost plenty of games and luckily this one went our way today. It was far from perfect but that group fought for it.

“We kept giving ourselves another shot and we got ourselves over the line in the end. Unbelievable atmosphere, I am delighted with that.

“Happy with it, I felt like a rabbit in the headlights in the first half. But I found my feet in the end, and I am delighted with the win more than anything but this is cool for a first start anyway.”

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England lock Maro Itoje says the 26-25 win against a talented France team is special

What’s next?

Following the first rest week, England are in action on Saturday, February 22 for the third round of the championship, hosting Scotland at Twickenham (4.45pm kick-off).

France next travel to face Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Sunday, February 23 (3pm kick-off GMT), in Round 3 of the Six Nations.

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