Six Nations live France vs England: Six Nations result as Ireland win first title since 2015
Follow the latest from the fourth round of the 2018 Six Nations championship
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England will look to get their Six Nations championship defence back on track on Saturday evening as they take on France in the latest instalment of “Le Crunch”, looking to make up for their shock defeat by Scotland last time out.
That 25-13 defeat in Edinburgh has put Ireland in pole position for the title, having won all three of their games so far, but with England and Ireland due to meet on the final weekend of the tournament, Eddie Jones’ side at least know that their fate remains in their own hands if they can beat France.
They will have to do so without captain Dylan Hartley though, with the hooker ruled out with a calf injury, meaning that Jamie George is handed his first Six Nations start and Exeter’s Luke Cowan-Dickie is named on the bench. While it is the only change in the pack, England’s back line looks very different as outside stand-in captain Owen Farrell is Ben Te’o, fit-again Elliot Daly and Jonny May, with Anthony Watson moving to full-back and Mike Brown dropped.
France meanwhile make just one change to the side that beat Italy a fortnight ago, with Toulon fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc recalled in place of Lionel Beauxis as Jacques Brunel’s third starting No 10 in four matches
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What time does it start?
France vs England kicks off at the Stade de France at 16:45 GMT (17:45 CET).
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on BBC One from 16:00 GMT.
Teams
France: Hugo Bonneval; Benjamin Fall, Mathieu Bastareaud, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Remy Grosso; Francois Trinh-Duc, Maxime Machenaud; Jefferson Poirot, Guilhem Guirado, Rabah Slimani; Paul Gabrillagues, Sebastien Vahaamahina; Wenceslas Lauret, Yacouba Camara, Marco Tauleigne.
Replacements: Adrien Pelissie, Dany Priso, Cedate Gomes Sa, Romain Taofifenua, Kelian Galletier, Baptiste Couilloud, Lionel Beauxis, Gael Fickou.
England: Anthony Watson; Jonny May, Ben Te’o, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly; George Ford, Danny Care; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Dan Cole; Joe Launchbury, Maro Itoje; Courtney Lawes, Chris Robshaw, Nathan Hughes.
3 mins: England win the scrum penalty and it's Slimani who's judged to have collapsed. Despite needing tries to keep the championship alive, Farrell will go for goal from more than 40m out...and despite a chorus of boos meeting him he nails it. 0-3!
5 mins: England win another penalty from the restart and it allows the away side to secure progression into French territory, with Te'o making a good first impact as he barges over Bastareaud. into the 22...
7 mins: Farrell chips the ball behind after France disrupted it at the ruck, but under pressure from May, Bonneval recklessly threw the ball out of the back of his hand to Robshaw and England sniff a chance.
It quickly goes though as Vunipola is caught by Bastareaud at the break down and Trinh-Duc clears the danger to touch on halfway.
11 mins: Launchbury makes a powerful run as he barges into Poirot in midfield, but the support, in Cole, is slow in reaching him and England concede yet another breakdown penalty that lets France off the hook.
14 mins: A third lineout steal in a row from Hughes - after Launchbury and Itoje - wins England the ball back and they have an immediate penalty to boot that Farrell puts into touch on the 22. The first phase is wide, and Farrell's pull-back pass to Daly only finds the hands of Grosso! The French wing breaks and France are on the attack!
15 mins: Chaos breaks out. France attack to the English 22 but it's spilt and England clear. Care's kick to touch fails to find it, and the bounce is horrible for Bonneval. The full-back has to sprint for it, and he collides heavily with May that spills the ball. England win it back, but the fans are furious with the collision and Bonneval is down hurt too.
Play stops and Bonneval receives treatment, and he's going to have to head off for an HIA with Gael Fickou on and Fall moving to the 15 shirt. Referee Jaco Peyper awards a penalty in France's favour for a tackle without the ball from May, though it did look an accidental one.
18 mins: France bring the pressure again and Machenaud chips in behind, but care sweeps round to watch it dead and then takes the quick 22 drop-out. May and Te'o chase well and get the charge down, which falls into the waiting hands of Lawes, but once again with good territory, France force the turnover penalty through Guirado and can kick to the English half.
19 mins: From the lineout, Machenaud tries to spread play to Trinh-Duc and it allows Robshaw to steal in and go for the interception - only to drop it.
21 mins: Vunipola wins another penalty off Slimani in the scrum and, with the mark three metres inside the England half, Elliot Daly will go for goal from long range.
He nails it perfectly! The lead is doubled. 0-6.
24 mins: England have an immediate problem on their hands as Hughes is down injured and it doesn't look good. Having only just come back from a knee injury - and with his left leg still heavily wrapped - a cleaned-out player at the ruck lands on his left knee and it bends awkwardly.
That's it for Hughes as Sam Simmonds is on - himself only just back from a shoulder injury - while Bonneval returns from the HIA. Machenaud will go for goal from a penalty given against England hands at the ruck, and his effort is straigh through the middle! 3-6.
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