Thanks for your company tonight and throughout the tournament, make sure you join us for the Women’s Six Nations from next week. Bye.
Well, a good game to bring about an outstanding achievement for France. Here’s Rob Kitson’s full report.
Raphael Ibanez is here.
“We are very lucky to have fantastic football players. Fair play to England, they tried to break our defence, but our play and tactics won us the game. We need to keep our feet on the ground and there’s more to come, we can still improve”
He’s right.
The trophy is presented to France and it’s hoisted high as the pyrotechnics explode in the background.
The stadium is then plunged into darkness as “Freed From Desire” booms out and France parties like it’s 1996.
I bet it reeks of Joop! in there.
Losing captain, Courtney Lawes, is talking to Martin Bayfield.
“We’re pretty disappointed, we had them in fitness but we failed to capitalise but that’s on us. It’s hard to say what’s missing so soon after the game, we’ll go away and have a look. I thought there were points where we had them, but it wasn’t to be, we didn’t deliver”
Lawes clearly hurting there, but I don’t agree England “had” France at any point in that game, or certainly not to a level that looked likely to change the result.
Thibault Flament, Grand Slam winning sub is here:
“It’s an amazing feeling, I’m just so happy for the team. We knew it was going to be a tough game; we had some good set piece and defence and they managed to come back in second half but we did it. The feeling on the final whistle was so good, but there’s still a lot to be done.”
England were better tonight than at any other time in the tournament, particularly in the third quarter of the match, but the gulf between them and France was obvious throughout.
Question is, do Eddie Jones’s squad have the talent to develop into something on a par before RWC2023? I feel it’s a no.
This France side could be one for the ages, Carter/McCaw/Read vintage All Blacks level good.
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Antoine Dupont is in tears, the crowd are jubilant, the tricolor disco lights are flashing and all the smiles are wide.
In the end, it was all very comfortable for what is becoming a very special team.
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FULL TIME!
80 mins. FRANCE WIN THE GRAND SLAM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2010!!
78 mins. France are now accepting that England will have the ball for the remainder of the game and are in their full masterful containing defence mode: fanning out wide, organising themselves and covering everything England throw at them.
It’s been a consummate performance in the face of the visitors playing some of their best rugby of the tournament in the second half.
76 mins. Marchant is again lively as England apply some pressure in the France 22, but Villiere nips in to snaffle a kick from under the nose of Steward to allow France to clear.
On the return, the ball comes left and Smith nearly finds Daly out wide.
George Ford is on for Furbank
Maxime Lucu replaces Dupont
Thomas Ramos for Jaminet.
74 mins. Time is ticking away from England as Jaminet boots an utter monster of a clearance from his own 22 into touch on the England 10m line. England win possession from the lineout and have some carries around halfway before kicking it back to France.
72 mins. The ball is caught and driven at the lineout by England. Dombrandt comes on a huge diagonal run but is wrapped up tight by a number of French tacklers and can’t get the ball down. Jaminet bangs the drop-out deep and England knock-on as they run possession back.
Cameron Woki is replaced by Thibault Flament.
Francois Cros on for Dylan Cretin.
70 mins. France have made a great deal more tackles in this game than England (140 to 107) and you have to wonder if it’s now starting to tell as les Bleus are caught offside on the drive from the lineout. England have another lineout on the France 5m line.
68 mins. England get a nudge on in the scrum that forces Gros to turn in. Smith finds a touch but it’s not as close to the France line as it perhaps should have been.
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66 mins. More England subs.
Alex Dombrandt is on for Sam Underhill
Harry Randall for Ben Youngs
Joe Marler for Ellis Genge
65 mins. Dupont’s his latest trick being a perfect box-kick that puts Daly in all sorts of trouble and forces him to fumble into touch.
On the next possession, Jaminet attempts a drop goal from too far out that he was in position to attempt. It doesn’t go well.
62 mins Ollie Chessum has replaced Nick Isiekwe for England
TRY! France 25 - 13 England (Antoine Dupont)
61 mins. The scrum takes close to an eon to complete, which suits France after England’s counter-punches so far this half. Eventually it’s out and France have some real phases for the first time this half.
They work it smoothly left and right before Alldritt punches a hole and pops to the ever-present Dupont on his shoulder to run in from twenty metres.
Jaminet slots the two.
Updated
57 mins. Mauvaka and Woki link up to break away from a maul and put France in England half. They are working carries sort arond the ruck, but it’s so tight in there Ref Peyper ends up in a player sandwich and has no choice but to blow up and give France a scrum on the England 10m line
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55 mins. Freddie Steward, growing into the game, gathers his own kick after chasing it a full forty metres. This puts England back on the attack in the 22 and they are playing with tempo and testing the France defence, but Underhill ends up isolated and is pinged for holding on.
Mohammad Haouas is on for Atonio
53 mins. From a lineout England find Marchant again, who after last time is met by a French welcoming committee. Smith decides it’s best to pin France back in their 22 and make them kick out, which they duly do.
France decide it’s time for some subs.
Romain Taofifenua replaces Paul Willemse
Jean-Baptiste Gros is on for Cyril Baille
Peato Mauvaka for Julien Marchand
England have replaced Will Stuart with Kyle Sinckler
TRY! France 18 - 13 England (Freddie Steward)
48 mins. Joe Marchant cuts a lovely angle again and slices through the France line. Penaud drags him down but England recycle quickly to Smith and Daly who finds Steward out wide who steps inside a tackler to score in the corner.
Smith kicks a beautiful conversion to end a very decent opening to the second half for England.
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47 mins. France win the scrum and have a couple of short carries before Dupont whams it clear. Elliot Daly runs it back before some territorial kicking exchanges commence, which come to an end when Dupont is offside on one of the chases in the England half.
44 mins. George throws it short and low to the front and France stop it at source but the visitors manage to recycle it. The carries start from the England forwards but Underhill drops the ball five metres out under significant defensive pressure.
42 mins. England have a decent start after Marchand knocks on from the kick-off and they have a few phases that force France offside. Smith puts in in the corner for the England pack to have go at a catch and drive.
SECOND HALF!
40 mins. Marcus Smith hoists it high and France are forty minutes from a Grand Slam.
Half time musings.
France are a much better rugby team than England.
That’s it
HALF TIME! France 18 - 6 England
PEEEEEEEEP! That’s the end of the half
TRY! France 18 - 6 England (Francois Cros)
40 mins. France get the ball away on the left, with Villiere prominent again and this time feeding Jelonch lurking on the touchline. The backrow is stopped short, but the ball is worked all the way right, then left again to Ntamack who is halted by a desperate tackle from Genge.
Francois Cros grabs the ball at the back of the ruck and jumps over to score with an outstretched arm.
Jaminet converts.
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37 mins. Itoje has arrived in the game via a fantastic rip in the middle of the park that puts England immediately on the attack in the France half. They work it left but Cretin chops down Slade and Fickou follows up for an easy as you like turnover and England’s clearout was non-existent.
MISSED PENALTY! France 11 - 6 England (Melvyn Jaminet)
35 mins. France have a hold-hold-push in the scrum and the third part of that causes England’s pack to concertina into an ugly mess. Jaminet looks at it, calculates it’s 5o-odd metres and takes it on.
He has the distance, but it pulls left.
32 mins. Marcus Smith does his goose-step from a kick return and fixes the defence before feeding Steward who gets around Danty before Villiere turns and hauls the England wing down. The ball is not secure and spills forward at the ruck, giving a scrum to France on halfway.
PENALTY! France 11 - 6 England (Marcus Smith)
30 mins. Joe Marchant has a decent carry that puts England into the France half and a few phases later France are offside. Smith adds another three from the penalty.
27 mins. In the latest oddity from England, Furbank completely misjudges a kick in the air and ends up volleying back up the field to Jaminet. The France fullback steps Furbank on the return but his pass to Villiere is a poor one, down by his knees and the winger can’t gather it.
I count that as five passes from France that haven’t gone to hand when England were in all sorts of trouble. When these start to stick it will be murder.
25 mins. England’s attack is a strange beast at present; some nippy early phases that show some promise are slowed down around phase four by Youngs, then Smith hoinks it up in the air for Jaminet to claim.
If they trusted playing with speed from each ruck it would look much better.
Jack Nowell is injured after his latest kick-chase and is replaced by Elliot Daly.
PENALTY! France 11 - 3 England (Melvyn Jaminet)
23 mins. Marchand has a busy carry off the back of a maul and then it’s followed by equally strong carries from Baille and Jelonch. England are on the back foot in their own 22 as Alldritt tries to force and offload to Dupont, but it was never on and the France captains spills it.
But, this was done on an offside advantage and so Jaminet extends the lead from the tee.
20 mins. Youngs hoists up a box kick following a Sam Simmonds carry from the kick-off and as Jaminet rises to claim it he’s catherine wheeled in the air by Nowell running underneath him. The ref is looking at whether Dupont nudges Nowell into Jaminet, if he did this could save the England man from a red card.
Ref Peyper says it’s actually a penalty to England for obstruction as Dupont sort of blocked Nowell. I believe that’s a very generous decision by the ref.
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PENALTY! France 8 - 3 England (Marcus Smith)
19 mins. Uini Atonio is off his feet at the ruck and it gives Smith a chance from 30 metres out, bang in front that he tees up and slots with little trouble.
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TRY! France 8 - 0 England (Gael Fickou)
16 mins. Straight off the lineout it’s another beautiful pattern from France, each pass feinting the ball away from the England tacklers. It finds Villiere out left who is hoisted down, but Ntamack sends it all the way right with a huge bouncing pass to Fickou who is over in the corner. A wonderful, dynamic, ranging and rampaging try.
Jaminet misses the conversion.
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13 mins. Half a dozen kicks back and forth end as Nowell decides to have a carry, but again Alldritt clamps on win a penalty. On the advantage France go wide and Danty is clear and through the line but his pass to find Penaud is another one that is fumbled.
We’ll go back for the penalty.
10 mins. Some more and better zip from England in possession works some phases up the right and again it’s followed by a cross-kick from Smith towards Steward in the France half. It’s claimed by the England winger, but in the next tackle Danty clamps on win a penalty for the home team.
PENALTY! France 3 - 0 England (Melvyn Jaminet)
8 mins. England fold in the scrum and Jaminet tees it up and slots it from 35 metres.
6 mins. First penalty of the game is France’s after Alldritt clamps on Nowell out wide to force a holding on infringement. From the first phase off the top of the lineout, it’s a lovely pattern from les Bleus, bringing Penaud into midfield but his pop pass to Fickou goes to ground.
That move had torn the England midfield defence asunder if the ball had stuck in Fickou’s hands.
4 mins. We’ve alredy seen four kicks from England: a couple of high ones, a grubber abd the latest - a cross kick from Smith towards Steward on the right wing. None have come off thus far, but the tactical tone is set.
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3 mins. Jaminet confidently claims his first kick under pressure but as the ball is recycled right there’s an unforced handling error from the nervous fingers of Jelonch.
First scrum of the match is a solid one for England, but Marcus Smith’s grubber is taken by Jaminet and France can clear.
KICK OFF!
1 min. The ball somehow manages to leave Romain Ntamack’s foot without being stopped dead by the wall of incredible noise in the Stade De France and we are underway.
Here come the teams.
The lights are out in the stadium, save for some red, white and blue disco LED’s. The crowd light up their phones and it’s quite the picture as both sets of players jog onto the pitch.
It’s incredibly loud and raucous then a hush descends while the Ukraine flag is hoisted over the pitch, before applause breaks out.
A sober reminder that sport is a wonderful, powerful, moving part of our lives but it’s not everything.
“Yes Lee, I am very much excited!” says a fired up Elisabeth Guillerm, “But being French, I would say that it’s an understatement! Allez les Bleus!”
You’ve certainly waited long enough for this chance of the big one, Elisabeth.
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“As Italy showed earlier, underdogs can spring surprises.” says Tim Joyce, “I’m just not sure that surprise is something England can come up with. France looked nailed on for this from the first round, but we can always hope.”
Well, you might as well Tim.
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Pre match reading
Jonathan Liew has been considering Fabien Galthié’s influence on this young France squad.
“France have spent the last two years in a state of high stress because that is simply the nature of playing under Galthié: a restless, ruthless and divisive coach whose perfectionism, according to those who have played under him, verges on obsession”
Read more here:
Teams
It was either Gandhi or Gemma Collins who said “be the change you wish to see in in the world,” and on the evidence of this Six Nations, Eddie Jones wishes to see the end of specialist international wingers. Max Malins is out of the team, replaced by George Furbank. The Northampton fullback slots into fifteen, meaning Freddie Steward, the Leicester fullback and one of England’s consistent and dependable performers is pushed to the wing. Elsewhere in the backs Ben Youngs regains the starting 9 jersey from Harry Randall.
Will Stuart starts at prop after a powerful showing in the second half vs Ireland, Sam Underhill returns to the back row after his long injury layoff and Nick Isiekwe replaces the banned Charlie Ewels.
For France, it’s simple as you like, as the world class Damian Penaud returns to the wing and everything else pretty much remains the same.
France: Melvyn Jaminet; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Gabin Villiere; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (captain); Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, Uini Atonio, Cameron Woki, Paul Willimse, Francois Cros, Anthony Jelonch, Gregory Alldritt.
Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Mohamed Haouas, Romain Taofifenua, Thibaud Flament, Dylan Cretin, Maxime Lucu, Thomas Ramos.
England: George Furbank; Freddie Steward, Joe Marchant, Henry Slade, Jack Nowell; Marcus Smith, Ben Youngs; Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe, Courtney Lawes (captain), Sam Underhill, Sam Simmonds.
Replacements: Nic Dolly, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Ollie Chessum, Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, George Ford, Elliot Daly.
Preamble
Welcome to Paris, where after the final whistle on a bonus point Ireland win in Dublin it’s Grand Slam or bust for France.
On recent outings and form this should be a very simple prediction, as Fabien Galthie’s squad simply need to play as they have for 75% of this tournament and a Grand Slam is theirs.
Hoping to buck the trend are England, coming off the back of a brave but again blunt performance in the Ireland loss. Eddie Jones has shuffled his pack and backs in the hope that something resembling an attack can materialise behind a forward effort that builds on last week’s heroics. However, on selection alone his much trailed New England appears to revolve around booting the ball for Freddie Steward to attempt to outjump Gabin Villiere. We shall see how accurate that analysis is come full time.
France had something of a fright in Cardiff last week, where their defence had to cover for Alldritt, Dupont and Ntamack - their fulcum - each simultaneously having their worst games of the Championship. This dip will not happen again and expect the France team to be firing and ready to put the final polish on their Best Team In The World plaque.
But, England are perhaps the one team that can spring a performance from nowhere, as the 2019 All Blacks can attest. Here’s hoping, as this match deserves to be a humdinger.
