Six Nations: France and England conclude tournament with strong performances, yet uncertainties persist

PARIS — Rugby is indeed a perplexing sport.

The most remarkable Six Nations in history culminated with the final kick … Naturally. Thomas Ramos converted the last attempt of the match, a penalty from 45 meters at an angle, which clinched the Six Nations title for France and resulted in a 48-46 victory over a formidable England team.

France can finally breathe easy, as Ireland was mere seconds away from claiming the championship, while England departs Paris in despair after coming so close to achieving a narrative-altering win. What a relief.

This was a fitting conclusion to five extraordinary rounds of rugby. Overall, France emerged as worthy champions, but Saturday will be remembered for another standout performance from the world’s premier winger. The exceptional Louis Bielle-Biarrey concluded the match with four tries. However, it was ultimately Ramos’ kicking and his flawless record from the tee that made the difference in this narrow victory.

This slight edge allowed France to secure the win, denying England the chance to pull off the improbable just 40 seconds from the end. Although this was undoubtedly England’s best showing of the Six Nations, following defeats to Scotland, Ireland, and Italy, this loss in Paris marks their statistically worst campaign ever. It is a tough reality, leaving Steve Borthwick with questions to address during the RFU’s customary post-tournament evaluation.

Following the impressive Irish display in Dublin and Wales’ remarkable victory over Italy in Cardiff, which ended three years of disappointment, the final encounter of Le Crunch in Paris had exceptionally high expectations to meet. Yet, it delivered.

In what was a splendid and extravagant event, both teams entered under significant pressure, and while they occasionally faltered and strayed from discipline, they also executed sequences of play that left spectators in awe. Bielle-Biarrey was named man of the match, but it is worth noting the contributions of Ollie Chessum and England captain Maro Itoje — both were outstanding. France scored six tries, while England managed seven and still faced defeat. A remarkable match from a wonderfully captivating and bewildering sport.

This epic encounter concluded what has been a fantastic championship, the best in a long time. Each weekend featured standout performances that shifted the narrative. Jobs were on the line, only for teams to respond and silence their critics.

Wales secured their first championship win since 2023, Italy established themselves as a genuine contender, France and Scotland showcased some remarkable rugby, Ireland rebounded from disappointment to remind everyone of their formidable capabilities, and we witnessed England’s swift change in fortunes and a slight improvement.

Bielle-Biarrey also recorded a try in each match for the second consecutive Six Nations — an impressive achievement.

England entered the tournament discussing this final weekend’s match in Paris as a potential title showdown with France. However, they arrived in Paris seeking to rectify past mistakes, with pride at stake and an opportunity to demonstrate they had learned from their previous defeats.

Each of those losses exhibited different concerning issues, but a common thread was ill-discipline and an inability to convert territory into points when it mattered. The game plan faced scrutiny following the defeat in Rome. Leadership has been questioned. The RFU issued a statement last Sunday, supporting Borthwick, but with the condition that improvements are made swiftly. It effectively gave Borthwick four matches to rectify the situation, and this was a response.

Itoje pledged that England would learn from this experience, but the team appeared desperate. England launched their attack from the start, employing a varied strategy and carrying with notable aggression and energy. They diversified their kicking game, probing in different areas, and appeared far more cohesive than in the previous three rounds. Chessum was exceptional (though he might have gotten closer to the posts with his intercept try), while the pack as a whole performed brilliantly.

The rolling maul was formidable, and their set piece was solid. The bench also made a significant impact — Henry Pollock was extremely effective, while Marcus Smith posed a threat in his 50th Test. However, missed kicks from the tee by Fin Smith and a few questionable decisions from referee Nika Amashukeli meant England could have won this match. Still, it represents a substantial improvement compared to recent performances.

This was the England we anticipated seeing throughout the tournament — one unafraid to attack from all angles, yet also delivering significant impact when necessary.

However, we also witnessed some of their familiar shortcomings: discipline issues cost them a penalty try just before halftime, and during the period when they were down to 14 players with Ellis Genge in the sin bin, France scored two additional tries. England also appeared vulnerable in covering their backfield, with France exploiting them three times with kicks behind. Nevertheless, after the last three rounds, this performance was refreshing.

This also raises the question: Where has this version of England been? Is this a team capable of delivering this level of performance when emotionally motivated, or have they finally found a way to align their game plan with intent? If only we had another round to explore this further.

This match lived up to the rich 120-year tradition of Le Crunch. France donned their striking new light blue kit, and the occasion was preceded by a somewhat unusual display featuring two horses and representations of both English and French military. In the midst of this was Frederic Michalak holding a leather rugby ball, accompanied by a group of children playing rugby. It was a surreal Le Crunch experience.

From the very beginning, the pace was relentless. Antoine Dupont performed well at No.9, while Ramos was consistent from the tee. Mathieu Jalibert guided the team effectively from fly-half, but this was Bielle-Biarrey’s night. What a player, the most lethal finisher, and he is only 22 years old.

Paris will be alive tonight following this celebration of a chaotic, nonsensical sport. If only every Six Nations could be like this, but in the quiet moments after this match, France will feel both relieved and delighted.

Fabian Galthie can relax, knowing his team responded after the defeat at Murrayfield, and Les Bleus delivered, just. England will be disappointed, but they can take pride in this performance. However, this only adds a slight sheen to what has been a disappointing campaign by their own standards.

For England, this level of performance and intensity must become the standard, rather than a one-time occurrence.