Italy vs England LIVE: Six Nations latest updates, scores and results with France vs Ireland to decide title
Follow the latest updates from the final day of the 2020 Six Nations Championship as England, Ireland and France battle for the title
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Your support makes all the difference.Follow the latest updates from the final day of the Six Nations after England moved top of the table with a 34-5 bonus-point win over Italy, with France’s clash with Ireland at the Stade de France to decide the destination of this year’s title.
Two tries from England centurion Ben Youngs helped his side secure the bonus point they desperately needed, with Jamie George also scoring on his 50 cap for his country. Tom Curry’s try in the second half secured the crucial bonus point, with Henry Slade adding a fifth for good measure.
It means that England have one hand on the trophy, but will have to wait for the result in the final game of the championship to know if they have clinched the title for the first time since 2017, as if Ireland beat France by six points - so long as they score a try - or by seven points, they will beat England to top spot, while a bonus-point win would also be enough for the Irish.
ENGLAND WIN SIX NATIONS
We’ve spoken to the England camp in Rome in the wake of their triumph, with the celebrations well underway after they were crowned Six Nations champions for the first time since 2017.
Having led England to his first major trophy as captain, Owen Farrell said: "It’s a massive achievement for us as a group to win the Guinness Six Nations in the strangest year and circumstances.
“We’ve worked really hard in training the past few weeks to get ready for the Italy game, we knew what we had to do and we kept our focus and got the result.
“This is a great group of players, we really think we can continue to get better and achieve more for England. We’re turning our attentions now to the Autumn Nations Cup, we want consistent success and we’re working hard to be better in each and every game.
“We know how difficult things are for everyone at home at the moment and we’ve been saying all through our training camps how we want to do our bit to make people smile. Hopefully we’ve done that today and we’ll do more of the same throughout the autumn.”
FULL-TIME
France defeat Ireland 35-27 in a thrilling match, that works for neither side in their title hopes…
England crowned Six Nations champions after France turn on the style to beat Ireland
France 35-27 Ireland: Bonus-point victory in Paris not enough to prevent England from claiming first championship in three years following their win over Italy
80 mins: France 35-27 Ireland
Jacob Stockdale scores a solo try of his own as he sweeps up lose ball and races over. Sexton converts, but it’s all in vain…
80 mins: France 35-20 Ireland
The ball is knocked on by the French and Ireland will have a late scrum, but it’s going to be to no avail. We know where this one’s going.
76 mins: France 35-20 Ireland
The game is really loose now, with neither side able to hold onto the ball as they try to force it. Ireland manage to win a penalty to relieve pressure brought on by an excellent up-and-under, and Sexton finds touch on the French 10m line.
72 mins: France 35-20 Ireland
Now that was a joy to watch! Ntamack takes the ball to the line after another Irish scrum collapses, and he chips over the defensive line to regather and weave his way towards the try line, before committing Stockdale and passing left to Virimi Vakatawa to score France’s fourth.
They’ve got the bonus point, but they need another 16 points from here to prevent England from winning the title.
69 mins: France 28-20 Ireland
Another lineout goes awry and France eventually win back the ball to go on the attack, although they kick for Keenan to collect and he does well to send it back down-field with interest. Bouthier gathers the ball and kicks down the middle, but it rolls over the try line and is dotted down for the 22 drop-out.
66 mins: France 28-20 Ireland
Bouthier takes a supreme catch against Conway as they both challenge for the ball, but the Frenchman is isolated and Ireland win the penalty. Sexton sends it into the 22m deep, only for the Ireland lineout to falter once again - that’s three in a row now - and let France off the hook.
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