ENGLAND saw a glorious chance of earning their first away win against France since 2016 snatched away – as Manu Tuilagi’s Red Rose farewell turned sour.
Ollie Lawrence looked set to be the king of Lyon as he scored either side of the break, with Marcus Smith adding a stunner.
Even when France scored twice in four minutes to turn the match on its head, Steve Borthwick’s men kept on coming.
Tuilagi’s arrival gave hope and with just two minutes left, Tommy Freeman scored in the corner and George Ford kicked an immaculate conversion.
But England then handed Thomas Ramos a penalty on half-way, with the fly-half having the final act of a remarkable evening to leave the visitors gutted.
It was a savage blow for an England side, whose hopes of the Six Nations title had been ended by Ireland’s narrow win over Scotland as they were arriving at the Groupama Stadium
But this was always going to be about trying to prove last week’s victory over Andy Farrell’s green machine was not a freak performance.
After a false start – the initial kick-off took place before the 10-second countdown – the scale of the challenge was made clear.
France’s giant pack was able to shunt England back 20 yards while the frenetic pace saw Alex Mitchell hurt his wrist and George Furbank ping a calf muscle inside the first seven minutes.
On came Marcus Smith at full-back, just before George Ford, on his 31st birthday, nudged England in front from the 10-metre line.
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But Smith’s failure to release in the tackle allowed Thomas Ramos to level things from just inside the England half.
And almost immediately, Borthwick’s side were seven points behind, paying the price for a messed-up line-out that was filched by the French.
What followed was devastating. The ball was moved left, Gael Fickou punching the first hole, Louis Biele-Biarrey scooting down the wing and new scrum half Nolann Le Garrec mobbed by the French replacements as he touched down by the posts.
Smith, by a fraction, prevented it getting worse when Lawrence spilled the ball in contact on the French 22.
Damian Penaud picked up, beat three white shirts and kicked over the top, with Biele-Biarrey so close to getting there first.
England were struggling to impose themselves, France’s pack in marauding form while the whole side was going through their party tricks.
With the pressure telling and the penalty count rising, Ramos added six more points in short order.
But on the last play of the half, England were back in the contest.
Two previous short range line-outs had seen French penalties and replays and it was third time lucky when Ollie Chessum gathered.
Mitchell went short to Henry Slade, who popped up for Lawrence to crash through Fickou and score. Ford could not miss the conversion.
Still behind. Then again, England had also trailed at the interval in all the previous games, coming back to win on three occasions.
And when Lawrence touched down again at the start of the second half, a fourth turnaround looked on the cards.
Freeman made the initial incursion, Sam Underhill and the brilliant Ben Earl carried it on and while Smith slipped, England kept the ball alive with the Bath centre burrowing over from short range, Ford tacking on the extras.
Freeman then failed to find the unmarked Mitchell with the line begging.
But England kept on coming, another first phase line-out drill seeing Earl smashing through the French backs before Smith gloriously side-stepped his way over the line.
The home fans were shell shocked. And probably a few England supporters were too.
Back came the French, smart handling as England back-pedalled resulting in Leo Barre scoring their second try, Ramos taking his tally to 13 as the gap was back to a solitary point.
Tuilagi time, his final outing in the white shirt, Slade making way.
But before he had touched the ball, France scored again to go back in front.
New hooker Theo Dan over-threw a line-out, the loose ball was hacked forward and Penaud got there first, feeding Fickou to canter home.
Yet England refused to lie down and die. Tuilagi was involved before Smith fed Freeman.
Ford’s kicking looked to be enough, only for Ramos to take his tally to 18 points and steal not only the match but second place in the championship.
