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.
45 mins: England go through the phases after the driving maul is halted, and Bastareaud puts in a big hit on Vunipola before winning a penalty for holding on in what is a crucial and brilliant bit of defending.
47 mins: Itoje drives into Camara, and the French openside comes off second best but manages to slow down the ball in the process. It looked illegally done, and English frustrations are not done any good when they concede a penalty at the next ruck.
48 mins: France break! From a driving maul they somehow break through Tauleigne. He plays the ball to Guirado who is then tackled, and Trinh-Duc sends over a high bomb to the corner. May and Grosso compete for it, before it falls to Fall and he dives for the line. Watson tackles him, and it's a TMO review on whether it's a high tackle or not.
The decision is...YELLOW CARD AND A PENALTY TRY TO FRANCE!
49 mins: Well that's brought the Stade de France to life! After reviewing the tackle, Peyper decides that Watson's arm is across the neck of Fall and, as he was the last man on the line, the yellow card is warranted. He then heads under the posts and awards a penalty try!
52 mins: France are at it again! They break left and Grosso bursts down the wing. The ball is recycled inside and there's a huge overlap, and Guirado tries to send Fickou over on the switch on the right. England's 14-man defence is desperate, but just keeps out first Fickou and then Machenaud, with the ball held up over the line.
Launchbury heads off the field with James Haskell on - moving Lawes into the second row - and England breathe a huge sigh of relief when Vunipola wins his third scrum penalty off Slimani to relieve the pressure.
55 mins: Jeers ring around Paris again as Daly is judged to have infringed by the home fans for pushing Machenaud out of his way while chasing a kick. Peyper originally awards England an advantage for a knock on, but touchjudge Angus Gardner calls for a penalty against Daly.
58 mins: England throw numbers into the breakdown in midfield and Robshaw and George win the penalty for holding on. Farrell then launches a beautiful kick to the French 5m and England have a chance.
Kyle Sinckler is on for Dan Cole with Slimani replaced by Cedate Gomes Sa, but England make a mess of the lineout, cough up possession and France clear.
60 mins: England knock the ball on to give away possession again, and Ford leaves the field with Jonathan Joseph on - and Watson back from the sin-bin to boot.
it was a bad phase for England that, but heck it could've been a lot worse.
61 mins: Haskell is penalised for not releasing the tackle and Machenaud will have a chance to stretch the lead to more than a single score.
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