Ultimately, they made their dominance count on their good days and picked up the bonus points they needed along the way. To concede 96 points in the last two games will undermine their credentials as an all-time winner, but they were the best of the bunch in 2026.
In the end we came up just short, but if there has been a more engrossing or more entertaining Five/Six Nations than what we have been privileged to witness over the last six weeks, then I sure can't recall it.
While France may have clinched the trophy for the second successive year England came within seconds of spoiling their pulsating last night party in a see-sawing game for the ages. In the end the hosts needed a last-gasp penalty from Thomas Ramos to secure the trophy, dashing Irish hopes of a sensational title heist.
Thomas Ramos had a penalty to win it for France with the last kick of the game, and he converted with aplomb to break Irish hearts. Louis Bielle-Biarrey shone in a four-try display to put Les Bleus on 21 points, two ahead of Ireland while England finished fifth, winning only one game in the Six Nations for the first time.
Chessum comes into the side at blindside flanker to add to England's lineout options but Borthwick has named an unchanged back line despite last weekend's humiliating first ever defeat by the Azzurri which extended England's losing run to three matches.
To get bonus points against some quality teams, England and France were probably in the top three in the world coming into this tournament, certainly when they played us. So to get four and seven tries and get maximum points against them was great. We've given ourselves an opportunity. It's not all in our hands because France will play after us.
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