England suffered a humiliating defeat against France in the Six Nations tournament at Twickenham as they lost by 24-17. It was a night where things just didn’t seem to go England’s way, and France, on the other hand, showed grit and resilience to secure a historic victory.
The game started with England attacking from the outset, and it wasn’t long before they took the lead. Quins scrum-half Danny Care scored England’s first try in the seventh minute, followed by a conversion from captain Owen Farrell, which gave England an early 7-0 lead.
However, France bounced back immediately as centre Gael Fickou crashed over the line in the 10th minute, and Thomas Ramos’ conversion levelled the scores at 7-7.
England’s next real chance of a try came in the 20th minute. They almost crossed the line, but the French defence stood firm and kept them out. Then, in the next few minutes, both teams exchanged penalties, with Farrell kicking one for England and Ramos getting two for France. Half-time arrived with the French ahead by 13-10.
France started the second half in confident fashion, and after a spell of pressure, they scored their second try of the game. It came from a turnover in the English half, and some good play from the French forwards saw lock Paul Willemse power over the line. Ramos added the extras, and France now had a 10-point lead.
England had an opportunity to reduce the deficit when they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, but Farrell missed it, which was unusual for him.
France went on to score another penalty, which meant that England needed to score two tries if they were to win the game. England made some substitutions, and with 10 minutes left, winger Jonny May scored a fabulous try. He ran onto a crossfield kick by Henry Slade and dived into the corner. Farrell converted, and England was back in the game, trailing 24-17.
Another opportunity presented itself for England late on when they were awarded another penalty in front of the posts. However, Farrell opted to go for touch instead. England launched a series of attacks, but once again, France’s defence was resolute and held firm.
The final whistle blew, and France had beaten England by 24-17, which sent their fans into delirium. The French team celebrated as if they had won the tournament, which is understandable given that winning at Twickenham is no mean feat.
It was a night where England just didn’t seem to get going. They made a number of handling errors, and their discipline was poor at times, giving away numerous penalties. The normally reliable Farrell had an off-night with the boot, which didn’t help their cause.
France, on the other hand, played with great enthusiasm and passion. They tackled ferociously and put their bodies on the line time and time again. They deservedly won the game, and it will give them a huge boost going forward.
England, however, will be left to rile over their poor performance. They will need to regroup and come back stronger if they are to challenge for the Six Nations title, which is still within their grasp. They will need to eradicate the mistakes they made in this game and work on their discipline if they are to be successful.
In summary, it was a night to forget for England, and one to remember for France. The French team played with heart and determination and deservedly won the game. England will need to learn from this defeat and come back stronger. They have the talent and the potential to bounce back, and they will need to put this defeat behind them and focus on their next game.