Thomas Ramos's dramatic, last-gasp penalty kick secured the Six Nations title for France on Saturday night, denying England a famous upset in a thrilling 48-46 encounter at the Stade de France that went down to the final seconds.
A Thrilling Decider in Paris
France won it, but England—transformed from their recent collapse—nearly pulled off the upset. With just three minutes left on the clock in an exhilarating clash, Tommy Freeman produced a brilliant finish to propel England into a narrow lead. But the drama wasn't over. From long range, Thomas Ramos found the posts with the final kick of the game, clinching a high-scoring 48-46 victory for Les Bleus and igniting their title celebrations.
France won back-to-back titles for the first time since 2006-07. It was a victory hard-fought, coming down to the wire against an England side that delivered their most potent performance of the tournament.
England's Resurgence and French Firepower
Steve Borthwick’s England, who had endured a torrid run of three consecutive defeats, appeared galvanised in Paris. They ran in an impressive seven tries, their attacking game finally clicking into gear. Ollie Chessum was a standout performer, crossing the whitewash twice, and proving relentless in both attack and defence. The English pack, often criticised for their inconsistency, flexed their muscles up front, inspired by Chessum, the tireless Ben Earl, and props Ellis Genge and Joe Heyes.
But England's discipline problems cost them again. Ellis Genge received their eighth yellow card of the tournament, a big setback in such a finely balanced contest. On the French side, the exquisite finishing of Louis Bielle-Biarrey proved devastating, as he touched down four times, showcasing Les Bleus' potent offensive capabilities.
The Tumultuous Roads to Paris
England came to Paris needing to avoid a fourth straight loss. They'd beaten Wales to start 12-0, then everything fell apart. At that moment, a title shoot-out in Paris seemed a distinct possibility. Then came losses to Scotland, Ireland, and—worst of all—Italy for the first time ever. Borthwick’s side entered the final round in fifth place, with only Wales below them, and could only aspire to finish as high as fourth.
Head coach Steve Borthwick's position had come under considerable scrutiny, though he had received the backing of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), at least for the immediate future. Speaking ahead of the match, Borthwick was resolute. “Clearly being in Test week isn't the time for discussing end-of-tournament reviews,” he stated. “As you would respect, we have got a game against France on Saturday and that's our focus. For the areas, I am pretty clear on what needs to be addressed and how we need to address it. There are one or two areas I have already discussed and other bits that we will dig into immediately post-tournament.”
France's route to Paris was just as messy. They'd beaten Ireland, Wales, and Italy and looked set for back-to-back titles. Then Scotland beat them badly and suddenly everything was in doubt. After Ireland's earlier victory over Scotland, France knew that any win against England would be enough to secure the title.
A Rivalry Forged in History
This match was another classic in the England-France rivalry. England had not tasted victory on French soil since 2016, when a 31-21 win clinched both the Six Nations title and a Grand Slam during Eddie Jones’ inaugural campaign as head coach. That victory remains a big benchmark for English rugby in France.
These teams always play close matches. In 2025, England claimed a dramatic one-point victory at Allianz Stadium, courtesy of Elliot Daly’s late try, a win that kickstarted their impressive 12-game winning run that only ended earlier in this tournament. The last time the two nations met on French soil, in March 2024, France emerged victorious with a narrow 33-31 win in Lyon. Steve Borthwick acknowledged the magnitude of the fixture, saying, “It is a huge challenge under the lights in Paris against a very strong France side. England vs France is one of the great rivalries in international rugby and we're looking forward to the occasion.”
The night-time kick-off delivered exactly what it promised: France won, England came close, and both sides left with something to think about.
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Ramos's boot decided it—France won by two points, and both England and Ireland went home empty-handed.
This article was created with AI assistance.
