From the depths of despair, England lastly made a stand | EUROtoday

A fourth attempt by Bielle-Biarrey – from a kick by Dupont when England thought that they had been enjoying a penalty benefit – swung the momentum once more, however there was time for England to make one remaining assault in probably the most exceptional vogue, beginning with a scrum penalty after which two extra penalties coming from line-out mauls, with substitute prop Demba Bamba being despatched to the sin-bin.

Luke Cowan-Dickie was held up over the road however then one other unrelenting assault culminated in a attempt by Freeman beneath the posts. Smith’s conversion put England in entrance and seemed to have handed the title to Ireland earlier than Ramos’s kick sealed probably the most exceptional end to probably the most exceptional Six Nations marketing campaign.

Match particulars

Scoring sequence: 5-0 Bielle-Biarrey attempt, 7-0 Ramos con, 7-5 Roebuck attempt, 12-5 Bielle-Biarrey attempt, 14-5 Ramos con, 14-10 Murley attempt, 17-10 Ramos pen, 17-15 Chessum attempt, 17-17 F Smith con, 17-22 Coles attempt, 17-24 F Smith con, 17-27 F Smith pen, 24-27 penalty attempt, 29-27 Bielle-Biarrey attempt, 31-27 Ramos con, 36-27 Attissogbe attempt, 38-27 Ramos con, 38-32 Chessum attempt, 38-37 M Smith attempt, 38-39 M Smith con, 43-39 Bielle-Biarrey attempt, 45-39 Ramos con, 45-44 Freeman attempt, 45-46 M Smith con, 48-46 Ramos pen.

HT: 24-27

France: T Ramos; T Attissogbe, P Barassi, Y Moefana, L Bielle-Biarrey; M Jalibert, A Dupont; J Gros (R Neti 63), J Marchand (P Mauvaka 46), D Aldegheri (D Bamba 46); T Flament, E Meafou (J Brennan 67); F Cros, T Matiu (M Guillard 41), C Ollivon (H Auradou 78).
Sin-bin: Bamba 73.
Unused replacements: B Serin, E Gailleton.

England: E Daly (M Smith 55); T Roebuck, T Freeman, S Atkinson, C Murley; F Smith, B Spencer (J van Poortvliet 52); E Genge (B Rodd 76) , J George (L Cowan-Dickie 52), J Heyes (T Davison 76), M Itoje, A Coles (H Pollock, 55), O Chessum, G Pepper (S Underhill 63), B Earl (C Cunningham-South 76).
Sin-bin: Gang 40.

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia).