England win 2020 Six Nations title as Ireland fall to defeat in France

  • France’s narrow win against Ireland not enough
  • Owen Farrell pays tribute to Eddie Jones and Ben Youngs

England have won the 2020 Six Nations title after Ireland fell to a 35-27 defeat to France in Paris. The result meant Eddie Jones’ side edged France on points difference after their 34-5 win over Italy in Rome.

England’s win had left the situation delicately poised, with Ireland needing to win with a bonus point to be sure of claiming the title or by six points to claim it on points difference. France needed to win by 31 points, with a bonus point.

Continue reading...

England’s Manu Tuilagi a saint and sinner in narrow defeat of Wales

• England 33-30 Wales
• Try-scorer Tuilagi sent off late in Twickenham match

Manu Tuilagi’s late red card for a dangerous tackle on George North was the one blemish for England on an afternoon when they won the triple crown after systematically destroying the defending champions, who went down to a third successive defeat in a Six Nations campaign for the first time since 2007. The scoreline suggested a close contest but two late tries by Wales when England were down to 13 players did not mask the deep divide between the sides.

Wales are in transition after 12 years under the relentless regime of Warren Gatland. If there is a sense of liberation in the way they are playing under Wayne Pivac, they have lost their pragmatism and become careless and disjointed. They were willing but wanting here, not just overpowered by opponents who base their game on forcing opponents into physical submission but outplayed.

Continue reading...

France onslaught leaves England licking their wounds in Six Nations opener

• France 24-17 England
• Hosts race into 17-0 half-time lead before May leads fightback

When Eddie Jones talked recently about England looking to become the greatest team the world has ever seen, this was not the start point he was envisaging. The World Cup finalists were about as irresistibly brutal as a damp paper bag for the first hour of a wet Sunday afternoon in Paris and were joyfully ripped apart by a French team not so much revitalised as reborn.

Related: France 24-17 England: Six Nations 2020 – as it happened

Continue reading...