| Guinness Six Nations: France v England |
|---|
| France (18) 25 |
| Attempts: Fickou, Cros, Dupont Swindle: jaminet 2 Feathers: jaminet 2 |
| England (6) 13 |
| Attempts: Butler Swindle: blacksmith Ballpoint: blacksmith 2 |
France strutted to their first Grand Slam in 12 years when they ran in three tries to comfortably beat England in front of a jubilant Stade de France.
Tries from Gael Fickou and Francois Cros gave the hosts a good half-time lead and left England trying to catch up.
England’s Freddie Steward, deployed on the wing, took a step and lunged to score after Joe Marchant’s break after the break.
But it was a rare moment of danger for England, who kept their distance.
France captain Antoine Dupont dived under the sticks early and the hosts played the last 10 minutes comfortably as their fans got the party started.
The Marseillaise rumbled around the stands and the tricolors fluttered from every seat as the final scrum was set with the clock on red.
Gregory Alldritt’s kick into the stands moments later was the signal for his team to take a knee and savor a clean sweep that has been brewing for the past two seasons.
England finished third in the Six Nations, but this contest revealed the chasm that separates them from the champions.
France was superior in all areas. Stronger up front, more precise in defense, tighter in defense, more clinical in attack.
For England, defeat is a sobering reality check. There are still 18 months to go until the start of the Rugby World Cup, but closing the gap with France in that time frame requires rapid and steep improvement.
There was little sign of it at the Stade de France. A campaign that began with Eddie Jones’s side stifled by Scotland ended with them swamped in Paris, and there have been very few positives in between.
More to follow.
- Become Batman: Robert Pattinson Reveals All About Taking On The Role Of The Caped Crusader
- MOTDx: Philippe Coutinho and Dublin’s fan-owned Bohemian FC appear in this week’s episode
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