France v England LIVE: Result and reaction as Les Bleus edge thrilling Six Nations finale in Lyon
France 33-31 England: Thomas Ramos’s late penalty gave Les Bleus the win in a topsy-turvy thriller
England finished third in the Six Nations after a monster Thomas Ramos penalty in the final minute sent them spinning to a heartbreaking 33-31 defeat to France at Groupama Stadium.
Steve Borthwick’s men have trailed at half-time of every match of the championship and once more they faced an uphill battle, this time in the form of 16-6 deficit that included a try of the tournament contender for scrum half Nolann Le Garrec.
But they turned the contest on its head by amassing 21 unanswered points through two Ollie Lawrence tries and a Marcus Smith touch down as their attack ran amok through the France midfield. France regrouped to cross through Leo Barre and Gael Fickou but England were not done yet as Tommy Freeman stormed over in the right corner with five minutes remaining.
They appeared to have secured their fourth win of the Six Nations having staged multiple fightbacks but when they infringed just outside their half with seconds left, Ramos kept his nerve to hit the target.
Relive all the action below:
France 10-3 England, 27 mins
England defend the scrum well and Underhill makes a good hit. Ramos goes for a crossfield kick to Penaud, Smith defending and the ball is too long, bouncing out of the in-goal area. 22 dropout and will England will gratefully clear.
France 10-3 England, 26 mins
All a bit messy. Lawrence grabs the box kick but then loses it forward, ball bouncing everywhere and Itoje crunches his man.
Suddenly France on the counter again though! Penaud slices between two defenders and is marauding towards halfway. He kicks intot he acres of space ahead to give Bielle-Biarrey something to chase. The boy has gas but Smith juuust beats him to the ball and grounds it in the in-goal area.
TMO checking whether Smith took it across the line and determines he did, so it’s a France five-metre scrum.
France 10-3 England, 24 mins
Lineout works this time but England then fumble the ball and France hack clear. Daly has to retreat and does superbly to gather the ball before Martin with a superb clearout to stop the turnover. England can exit through a Mitchell box-kick.
France 10-3 England, 23 mins
Smith carries into contact and Mitchell then kicks really nicely, bamboozling Penaud and Egnland have the attacking lineout.
France 10-3 England, 22 mins
That all came from an England attacking lineout - simply superb by France. How can England respond?
TRY! France 10-3 England (Nolann Le Garrec, 20 mins)
AND HOW THEY COUNTER! What a try that is, they go coast to coast and score an absolute worldie.
Le Garrec with the flat pass in his own 22 and France get round the outside on the left. Great carry by Fickou, offloaded and Barre makes more yards. Ball flicked inside and eventually Le Garrec can run in under the posts. Simply sublime.
Ramos adds the conversion and France take the lead.
France 3-3 England, 19 mins
Cros disrupts the England lineout superbly and France can counter from their own 22.
PENALTY! France 3-3 England (Thomas Ramos, 18 mins)
Penalty is dead centre, 44 metres away and Thomas Ramos crunches it through. Typically impeccable from the tee.
France 0-3 England, 17 mins
England survived that early wave of French pressure well and have settled into this contest now, quieting the crowd as well. They run some phases around halfway but Atonio crunches Itoje, so Ford kicks. Good kick chase by England but well-taken by France.
Marchand then gets over the ball really well at the breakdown when Smith is chop-tackled by Cros and it’s a penalty, which Ramos will kick for goal.
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