LONDON — In a thrilling encounter at Twickenham, England edged out tournament favorites France with a score of 26-25, thanks to a crucial late conversion by Fin Smith after a dramatic try he assisted. The last ten minutes of the match saw the lead change hands three times, heightening the excitement.
England took the lead for the first time in the 70th minute when replacement prop Fin Baxter scored a try, allowing Smith to convert and put the team ahead 19-18. Smith had taken over the goalkicking from Marcus Smith, who had struggled with his last two attempts, giving England a glimmer of hope.
However, France quickly regained the advantage just five minutes later. Their dynamic duo, Antoine Dupont and Damian Penaud, launched a swift counterattack, leading to Louis Bielle-Biarrey securing his second try of the game, which put the French team ahead 25-19.
In a determined response, England forced a lineout within French territory, executing a successful maul. Smith efficiently set up replacement wing Elliot Daly, who burst through a gap to score next to the posts in the dying moments of the match. Smith’s conversion rounded off a remarkable comeback for England.
Having faced a tough loss against Ireland in Dublin the previous week and suffering through six defeats in their last seven outings, this win marked a significant moment for England. It was their first substantial victory since last year’s Six Nations, where they triumphed over Ireland. Critics had pointed to England’s tendency to squander leads in the closing quarter, but they finally managed to secure this win, earning a bonus-point against France as they now look ahead to their next match against Scotland in two weeks.
“This time we managed to turn things around,” Smith commented. “We’ve had our share of losses, but fortunately, things went our way today. It wasn’t perfect, yet the team fought hard for this outcome.”
In a decision that raised eyebrows, coach Steve Borthwick gave Fin Smith his first test start, despite him having only 122 minutes of international rugby experience across seven caps. Smith is known for his ability to ignite the backline, a role that Marcus Smith had filled with his unconventional style while playing at fullback.
The substitutions proved effective too, with the likes of former captain Jamie George, Ollie Chessum, and Daly, who was making his first appearance in a year, stepping up when needed.
Despite a rocky start, Fin Smith found his rhythm as the game progressed, ultimately earning the title of man of the match. “In the first half, I felt overwhelmed, but I began to find my footing as the game went on. This is fantastic for my first start,” he reflected.
On the other hand, France is set for a demanding three-match away trip, with Italy next on the horizon followed by a clash against the reigning champions, Ireland. This defeat was particularly tough for the French side, who had plenty of chances to establish a commanding lead and should have capitalized on their opportunities by halftime, despite the challenging conditions.
The French team struggled to convert try-scoring opportunities and even their captain Dupont was unable to evade the mishaps. “We made numerous mistakes didn’t we?” noted Shaun Edwards, France’s defense coach. “Whenever we reached their try-line, it seemed we would just fumble the ball. This is unusual for our players, who are typically exceptional handlers.”
It took half an hour for Bielle-Biarrey to score, but England quickly responded, illustrating their resilience. Despite dropping the ball during a crucial moment, England managed to pass it to Ollie Lawrence, who equalized to make it 7-7 by halftime.
With Thomas Ramos’ penalties, France surged to a 13-7 lead, but England looked poised to take the lead early in the second half. Winger Tommy Freeman made a critical catch from Smith’s restart, but his conversion was again unsuccessful. Bielle-Biarrey then assisted Penaud, who scored his 37th test try — just one short of France’s record held by Serge Blanco. France led 18-12 as the match drew closer to the final quarter.
Despite sending Nolann Le Garrec onto the field, which shifted Dupont to flyhalf, England directed their strategy against Dupont leading to Baxter’s try that ignited the frantic final minutes. “We showed great bravery today, which is foundational for what we aspire to achieve moving forward,” said Maro Itoje, reflecting on his first victory as England captain.
