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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Your support makes all the difference.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.
29 mins: May chases a long kick down the right wing and he reaches it first, hacking it on before being whacked by Bonneval. Peyper isn't interested in the collision though and goes with the 22m drop-out, and England have an immediate penalty when Tauleigne tosses Launchbury in the maul to collapse it. Farrell will go for goal again, but it's not the tries that England need.
His kick is good though and the six-point lead is restored. 3-9!
32 mins: France break again with Fall making a good dent, and eventually England concede the penalty for a seatbelt tackle from Itoje on the wing. However, there's also a replay that shows Grosso clearing out Lawes with a shoulder to the head, and the citing officer might be taking a look at that one.
Machenaud will go for goal though, and he gets it! 6-9.
34 mins: France miss touch from the restart and Simmonds triggers a counter, but Farrell kicks the ball away and Machenaud replies in turn. That gives May time to charge at the line, but he's thumped by a brilliant tackle from Machenaud and France eventually turn the ball over.
Les Bleus then have a penalty for offside against England, and with the mark a couple of metres inside the English half, Machenaud will go for goal.
35 mins: Machenaud nails it! The scores are level once again! 9-9.
38 mins: France try some inventive play in their own 22 - the type that England have been lacking - and it nearly pays off, only for Camara to drop the final pass on the edge. Daly can't take advantage from the drop, but England get the put-in on the French 22 and this is as big a chance as any they've had this half.
40 mins: Two minutes have ticked by, and we still haven't had the scrum after three straight collapses...
40 mins: It eventually comes out and Daly comes in on the wraparound, but England cough up possession - again - and France can't do anything with the ball to send the two sides in at the break level at 9-9.
Not the half England wanted, or needed, and it's looking increasingly likely that the title will be Ireland's by the end of the day.
H/T: Here come the two teams for the second half. The situation is simple: England need to score four tries or the title is Ireland's.
41 mins: England kick off and the second half is underway! One change for France as Bonneval is permanently replaced by Fickou.
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