England stun France as dramatic late Daly try clinches Six Nations classic

Another Saturday night at the movies with a stunningly different conclusion. This was an absolute thriller that kept everyone guessing right up to the final reel. The clincher, in the end, was a sensational 79th minute try from replacement Elliot Daly, bursting unstoppably on to a short ball from his new young fly-half Fin Smith, to trigger delirium around the old cabbage patch.

It had seemed for all the world England were about to lose another tight game when France’s precocious winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey went over for his second try of the game six minutes from time. With barely 90 seconds left, though, England had one last chance and, in a set strike move off a lineout, Smith and Daly combined to propel Red Rose fans into dreamland.

No one could accuse England of fading away this time. Admittedly France were guilty of squandering an almost farcical number of try-scoring opportunities earlier in the game but the result was richly deserved. Initially it was Fin Baxter’s 69th minute try that dragged England back into contention but the 22-year-old Smith also needed to slot two angled conversions to seal the deal. The Northampton fly-half will remember his first Test start for the rest of his days.

This result also blurred the bitter memory of England’s 53-10 humiliation in this same fixture two years ago. Their back row could not have done much more with Tom Willis striving to make his mark having finally been entrusted with the No 8 jersey. The collective defence, for the most part, was again impressive.

France, even so, will be kicking themselves after a 60th-minute try for Damian Penaud had appeared likely to keep alive their unbeaten start to the tournament. Ultimately they were also undone by the weather. It was grey and damp and not a day made for intricate handling. Even the most seasoned of full-backs would have looked uneasily at the skies, sensing potential strife, let alone a good-to-firm type of player such as Marcus Smith who had a mixed day at No 15.

The conditions, though, were the same for both sides. France could have had several early tries, not least when Bielle-Biarrey would surely have scored had the over-clubbed final pass to him been slightly more accurate. England also had a major let-off from the tee when the normally immaculate Thomas Ramos hooked his first effort wide. For all involved the wet ball was clearly a problem.

Even the great Antoine Dupont had one or two awkward moments. The France captain had looked the calmest man in the ground before kick-off, a slight narrowing of the eyes the only real clue to the inner warrior. His genius is not only his range of skills but his shot selection and competitive instinct, all of which sets him apart from the average international player.

England’s Fin Smith, top right, celebrates after his conversion clinches the win. Photograph: Ian Walton/AP

But a bar of soap is a bar of soap and when Ramos threw what should have been a killer ball to Dupont it ricocheted off his left arm and denied France a 90-metre screamer of a try. If England were fortunate to survive on that occasion they were about to be reprieved again when Penaud, with the line at his mercy, could not hold Matthieu Jalibert’s final pass.

The dam had to burst eventually and did so after half an hour, albeit in slightly bizarre circumstances. François Cros picked up a loose ball from what, at first glance, seemed an offside position but the referee waved play on and, even 45m out from their own line, England were immediately in trouble. After some initial broken-field madness Dupont straightened the impromptu attack beautifully and this time Bielle-Biarrey finished expertly wide on the left from Penaud’s chip forward.

England simply had to respond, or at least start playing some of the game in their opponents’ half. Bang on cue they launched their most concerted attack of the game and, with France’s defence under the cosh, Ollie Lawrence took advantage to score under the posts. Marcus Smith’s drop-goal made it 7-7 at the interval, a scoreline that England would definitely have taken before kick-off.

Fifteen French handling errors and 10 turnovers conceded in the first 40 minutes alone were the most relevant half-time statistics and the outcome rested on whether France could keep hold of the ball more consistently. And keep their heads. Inside three minutes of the restart it seemed we had an answer when another hopeful Marcus Smith foray upfield again resulted in a loose ball for France which Bielle-Biarrey seemed certain to finish.

At the last moment, though, the young winger cut inside and lobbed a hopeful ball over the top towards his hooker Peato Mauvaka. All the latter had to do was catch it but, once again, a France fumble saved England’s bacon with calamity looming. The litany of wasted chances was becoming almost comical.

But this was the third quarter, the point that England have let so many games slip over the past year. A Ramos penalty, straight and true this time, put his side back in front and the white-shirted sections of the stadium collectively winced. They had surely seen this arthouse film before, particularly when England opted not to attempt a penalty kick at goal and subsequently conceded a ruck turnover.

With 23 minutes left their optimism was rekindled when Fin Smith launched a neat cross kick to his right and his Northampton teammate Tommy Freeman stretched out to score. Smith’s conversion attempt curled wide but could England, regardless, kick on? This time, as Daly surged through Dupont’s despairing tackle, the answer was a resounding oui.