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There was a moment after France’s Joanna Grisez scored where fans were wondering if this would be the day England’s stranglehold on this competition came to an end. The Red Roses were 31-7 up after 23 minutes, but a resolute France cut back the lead to one point in the final minute. A French knock-on ended the game and the sheer pressure the hosts were under was plain to see by the wild celebrations by the England players at full-time.
Despite the nervous ending for England, they not only retained the trophy at Twickenham but claimed a seventh successive title. England’s victory stretched their winning run in this tournament to 34 games and 25 in all competitions.
The Red Roses are used to lifting silverware, but the trophy they are hunting will be on the line in the next game they could play here in five months’ time in the Rugby World Cup final. That has eluded them since 2014 and it remains their main target in 2025. Their position as one of the best teams in any sport would be cemented with that World Cup crown.
Throughout this tournament they have been dominant, but they had to win ugly against a resolute France. To highlight how much France had England’s number at times , the visitors scored more points against England (42) than the Red Roses had conceded in their four other Six Nations games collectively (29).
England have demonstrated their seemingly bottomless depth as John Mitchell tests different combinations with what he refers to as “the end” – the Rugby World Cup – in mind. Starting Emma Sing in the opener as part of those different combinations became a hugely beneficial move for the decider with Ellie Kildunne ruled out here with a hamstring injury.
Sing was brought in to play the biggest game of her international career. She started slightly nervously with a forward pass to the wing Abby Dow and a kick to touch, but soon settled. She scored two tries and had a solid performance in her third start for the Red Roses.
Scotland 26-19 Ireland
ShowFrancesca McGhie’s last-gasp try gave Scotland their second Women’s Six Nations win as they beat Ireland at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh.
Amee-Leigh Costigan sent Ireland ahead after sprinting down the left flank to cross in the corner and Dannah O’Brien converted from a tight angle.
The hosts managed to get their first points of the game when Lana Skeldon broke away from a maul to ground, and they took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Emma Orr squeezed through a gap before diving over the line, with Helen Nelson adding the extras.
Ireland responded early in the second half following a good show of strength on the tryline, where Linda Djougang’s effort was upheld following a television match official review, and Scotland’s afternoon took a further twist when Rhona Lloyd was sent to the sin-bin for head contact with Costigan in the buildup to the try.
Despite being a player down, Rachel McLachlan raced into the right corner to ground for the hosts and Nelson converted, but the fly-half was soon shown a yellow card with just over 10 minutes to play.
Emily Lane powered over the line for Ireland and O’Brien’s conversion levelled the scores, but in the 80th minute a quick switch of play to the left wing saw McGhie crash over the line, with Nelson adding the extras from a tight angle. PA Media
Hannah Botterman had a good defensive performance with Morwenna Talling going about her business quietly but clinically. From a French perspective, the scrum-half, Pauline Bourdon-Sansus, continues to be their talisman. She scored a deserved try in another good performance.
Humid but clear conditions welcomed the teams, as well as red smoke and a fire show. The hosts gave their supporters reason to cheer early on through a lovely link-up between Dow and the fly-half, Zoe Harrison. Harrison spotted space on the right and chipped the ball and Dow collected to sprint to the line. The try made Dow the top try-scorer of the tournament.
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England were not celebrating for long as France hit straight back. A well-worked effort put the fly-half, Carla Arbez, over and the to-ing and fro-ing of scoring continued with Sing next in. The famous England maul was then deployed with Lark Atkin-Davies dotting down and Sing soon added another. The French prop Assia Khalfaoui – who received a red card in this fixture last year – was shown a yellow card for a high shot on Maud Muir. Taking advantage of being a player up, England scored through MacDonald.
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An error came next with a pass from scrum-half, Mo Hunt, leading Harrison to knock-on and Bourdon-Sansus pounced to score. England were put under more pressure for the rest of the half and France’s patience paid off with a try from Marine Menager to cut the point deficit to 10 points at the break.
England were forced into an early substitution in the second 40 as MacDonald went down and was in considerable pain with a knee injury. She got back to her feet, but was taken off shortly after. England continued to be rumbled by France and they needed a leader to steady the ship, in stepped their captain, Zoe Aldcroft, who superbly finished off a try.
France stayed in the fight and sniped back with a brilliant solo try by Kelly Arbez. An exchange of tries from Dow and France’s Morgane Bourgeois and Joanna Grisez finished the action.
One trophy down for the Red Roses, one more to go. The question on everybody’s lips is can England can back up their latest era of dominance with the Rugby World Cup title, something they failed to do three years ago.
