England have defeated France in their Round 2 Six Nations clash, 44 points to 8 at Twickenham.
» Click here for the full match report
Final score
England 44
France 8
Coming off vastly different beginnings to the Six Nations, England and France clash at Twickenham, in the final game of week two. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 2am AEDT.
While Eddie Jones’ men clinically defeated Ireland in Dublin a week ago, the French surrendered a 16-0 lead at halftime to lose 24-19 to Wales at home.
France have lost nine of their last 12 against England, with their last win at Twickenham not since 2005, while more recently, the English have won five of their last six.
Overnight results mean that if the French take a bonus point win or win by 18+, and deny England a losing bonus point, they’ll jump to second on the ladder, while England would move to first with a victory.
Should the home team lose by nine or more, they’ll drop to fourth, behind Wales, Scotland and France.
In team news: Jack Nowell has been dropped from England’s starting team, in favour of Chris Ashton on the right wing.
Maro Itoje’s knee injury rules him out, instead Courtney Lawes slots into the second row, and Ben Moon, Dan Cole and Joe Launchbury fill the bench.
The visitors make six changes: Mathieu Bastareaud notably comes in at centre for the injured Wesley Fofana and Uini Atonio is replaced at tighthead by Demba Bamba, as Geoffrey Doumayrou takes over at inside centre, and Yacouba Camara is in for Wenceslas Lauret at six.
Finally, Maxime Medard’s injury issues cause Gael Fickou to take the left wing, Antoine Dupont moves onto the bench, Thomas Ramos fits in at 23, as Dorian Aldegheri and Pierre Bourgarit round out the replacements, filling in for Baptiste Serin and Julian Marchand who are cut from the team.
Prediction
England’s clinical showing last week has them heavy favourites, and not many people would argue with that.
England by 16.
Time: 2am AEDT.
Venue: Twickenham Stadium.
Odds: England $1.14, France $5.75.
Ref: Nigel Owens.
England
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Courtney Lawes
5. George Kruis
6. Mark Wilson
7. Tom Curry
8. Billy Vunipola
9. Ben Youngs
10. Owen Farrell (capt)
11. Jonny May
12. Manu Tuilagi
13. Henry Slade
14. Chris Ashton
15. Elliot Daly
Reserves
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie
17. Ben Moon
18. Dan Cole
19. Joe Launchbury
20. Nathan Hughes
21. Dan Robson
22. George Ford
23. Jack Nowell
France
1. Jefferson Poirot
2. Guilhem Guirado
3. Demba Bamba
4. Sebastien Vahaamahina
5. Felix Lambey
6. Yacouba Camara
7. Arthur Iturria
8. Louis Picamoles
9. Morgan Parra
10. Camille Lopez
11. Gael Fickou
12. Geffroy Doumayrou
13. Mathieu Bastareaud
14. Damien Penaud
15. Yoann Huget
Reserves
16. Pierre Bourgarit
17. Dany Priso
18. Dorian Aldegheri
19. Paul Willemse
20. Gregory Alldritt
21. Antoine Dupont
22. Romain Ntamack
23. Thomas Ramos
riddler
Roar Rookie
cheers tom for your efforts. great first half from england. second half not as fluid but still held france to 14-0. very impressive. brings a smile to my face to see mitchell and jones sitting together, semi final coaches of wc 2003, nz and aus teams, coaching england in 2019. 2 coaches that so many love to have a go at. there they are though, doing a great job. credit where it is due. the welsh/english game in cardiff in a couple of weeks would be great to be at.
Tom English
Roar Guru
Thanks for joining me everyone, I'm going to salvage some sleep.
Tom English
Roar Guru
Match Report. England have defeated France in their round two Six Nations clash, 44 points to 8 at Twickenham. It started fast: England box kicked to clear to begin the half, and France knocked on a few phases in, leading to a Elliot Daly linebreak before he toed through for Jonny May to score within two minutes. Farrell missed the conversion, but a penalty five minutes later gave the English an opportunity to kick out by more than a converted try. The two sides traded box kicks, before a knockon gave France a chance for some phase play with an eventual penalty putting them within five, at 8-3. After Parra box kicked, a penalty for interference saw Farrell once again increasing England’s buffer, 11-3 from 39 metres. After the game’s second scrum, England camped France in their own 22, and when the box kick gained them no real ground, England quickly found May who shrugged off a tackle to score. Playing at speed was the story of the half, and when England took a lineout quickly they broke through to begin a set of phases right on the France line. After regaining a bomb, they lobbed through once more, finding May again who dotted down for a 23-3 lead. With less than five remaining in the half, France needed something to go their way, so Huget made a line-break before finding Penaud who dived over, for 23-8. A late try to England was not what the French needed, but after a turnover and another protruding kick, England dotted down to end the half, 30-8. The second half lacked much of the spark of the first, but an intercept to Slade led to a penalty try, as Gael Fickou tackled Chris Ashton without the ball, prompting referee Owens to award a penalty try and send the French winger to the bin. With 25 minutes left, Farrell tried another overhead kick – the same tactic which worked well all game for them – and the TMO ruled that there was no England knockon in the lead-up, for an Owen Farrell try. Dupont came on for France, and brightened things up somewhat for them, but overall it was a dismal day for the visitors, and going scoreless in the second half didn’t help. England 44, France 8.
Tom English
Roar Guru
Tom English
Roar Guru
England kick it out. FULLTIME ENGLAND 44-8 FRANCE.
Tom English
Roar Guru
Another reset. England 44 France 8 '82 – past the siren.
Tom English
Roar Guru
80 minutes is up. England could just kick it out here...scrum wheeling, reset. England 44 France 8 '81 – past the siren.
Tom English
Roar Guru
France hard into the D line. Bastareaud had it, threw a poor pass and into touch. Less than 30 seconds remain. England 44 France 8 '80
Tom English
Roar Guru
1:54 remain. France win it, Dupont now, kicked ahead for Ramos, but in goal and touched down by England. 60 seconds remain. England 44 France 8 '80
Tom English
Roar Guru
England win it though. Out to Daly on the wing, Launchbury up the centre. Ford now, not coming out. France scrum. Two minutes remain. England 44 France 8 '79
Tom English
Roar Guru
Scrum won: France driven back near the line. Dupont digging for it, now the clearing kick does find touch. Touched in flight, and France will throw into the lineout. England 44 France 8 '78
Tom English
Roar Guru
Maul, but lost forward right away. Dupont doesn't use it, so scrum to France. England 44 France 8 '76
Tom English
Roar Guru
Not releasing, the offence. Ford finds the corner. Substitutions here. England 44 France 8 '76
Tom English
Roar Guru
7 minutes 30 seconds remain, England feed and win their scrum. Back for the kick by Ford and taken by May but he's put into touch. France win their lineout, Dupont box kicks away. Daly takes it, now it's kicked downfield, France regain...penalty England! England 44 France 8 '75
Tom English
Roar Guru
Kicked downfield, returned to France, Bastareaud made a run, passed to Fickou and this game is just grinding down now. England 44 France 8 '73
Tom English
Roar Guru
France scrum, won and they go wide. Up to around halfway, over it now. 70 minute mark here. Turned over! Kicked ahead, Ramos will cover. Box kick, England with it in midfield, Robson, Lawes, kick through and Fickou covers it and taps it down in-goal. England 44 France 8 '72
Dan in Devon
Guest
Could John Mitchell be a future Wallaby coach?
Tom English
Roar Guru
England scrum, 7 out. Farrell clears to Ramos, over halfway go the French. Driven backwards by England, Mark Wilson just turned it over! Now England look to crack the French again, knocked on though. England 44 France 8 '70
Tom English
Roar Guru
England win their own lineout, Youngs with the box kick. France win the lineout, here we go, France protruding. Phase play within the England 22. Picamoles, they're 10 out. 6 out now. Knocked on! England 44 France 8 '68
Tom English
Roar Guru
Long and low kick by Dupont, finds touch 5 out. England 44 France 8 '66