England v France official extended highlights 21st March 2015

As England prepared for this one, they knew the task in front of them. After the earlier win for Ireland in Edinburgh, Stuart Lancaster's men needed a 26-point victory to claim their first title in four years, having finished runner-up for three years in a row. Dan Cole earned his 50th cap at tight head. Geoff Parling was the only change from the team that beat Scotland last time out. Parling replaced Dave Atwood, who dropped out of the matchday 23, with Nick Easter on the bench. The French, whose outside hopes of taking the title had been dashed with Wales and Ireland's wins, made two changes, both injury-enforced. Jules Plisson came in at number 10 for Camille Lopez, and Vincent Debatey started at loose head for Eddie Benarru. Things got off to a great start for the English. They pressured France into a mistake in midfield, and when the ball broke loose, Jonathan Josie made the break. Mike Brown and George Ford combined before Ben Youngs received it and dived over for the try, and a dream start for Lancaster's men. It was a fine score, good work from Joseph, Brown and Ford, before Youngs got over. Ford's conversion was spot on, and England were 7-0 up after just a couple of minutes. A Jules Plisson penalty brought it back to 7-3, and in the 14th minute, France struck for a try. Youngs' pass to Laws went astray, and Toulouse-Borde was alert enough to pick and run, almost unopposed to the English try line. A great moment for the Toulon scrum half, and although Plisson missed the conversion, it was a significant blow, with France not only taking the lead, but also leading England a mountain to climb in their quest for a 26-point victory to take the title. And that mountainous task grew even greater when France stunned the Twickenham crowd with another try after 17 minutes. A speedy break from the men in blue, Mermoz Tafiku, who found Noah Nikaitaki out wide. The Clermont winger burst clear for what would have been an easy touchdown, but the youngster gave French supporters and management a few nervous moments when a question was raised as to whether he'd got the ball down before putting his foot over the dead ball line. The ref asked the TMO to have a look, and it was deemed that the Frenchman had just got downward pressure before his foot was grounded. This time, Plisson converted, and France were 15-7 ahead. England's hopes of taking the title severely dented. They needed to get some points on the board quickly, and on 27 minutes, Ford knocked another penalty over to get it back to a five-point game. England 10, France 15. Shortly after that, England got their noses back in front. Youngs made the initial charge for the line before passing inside to Ford. In the follow-up, the ball broke loose, and Anthony Watson picked it up to cross for England's second try of the match. Again, the TMO was called into action to check for a knock-on in the lead-up to the try, but there was none, and the try was awarded. Ford added the extras, and England were back in front, 17 points to 15. England's tails were up, and when Joseph ran the ball from deep after a quickly taken throw-in, he made huge inroads into French territory. The English were eventually held up, but the home side continued to apply pressure, and when Brown took a quick tap-and-go, the French defence seemed unable to cope with the pace of the English attack. The Frenchmen were on their heels, and when Youngs pushed his way over under the posts for his second try of the game, some of the French tackling left a little to be desired. It left Ford with a simple tap-over conversion, and suddenly the 26-point winning margin was back within sight. It was 24-15. Then with the final kick of the half, England stretched their lead to 12 points, when Ford landed another penalty, leaving it 27 points to 15 at the break. The next 40 minutes would decide whether Ireland or England would be champions. It promised to be a nerve-wracking and enthralling half, England looking to build on their 12-point lead, but it was France who played spoiled sport in the early stages of the second half. They struck through Toulon centre Maxime Mermoz, who dived over for a try. It was a wonderful offload by hooker Guilhem Guirado, this another big setback for the home side, and Poisson converted for 27 points to 22. But England responded brilliantly just a couple of minutes later. The impressive Ben Youngs with the break, and a perfect pass to George Ford for a clear run to the line. Youngs was a deserved man of the match in the end, but the bath-out half, Ford added the conversion to his own try, and England were 34-22 ahead. French substitute Rory Cockett kicked a penalty to bring it back to 34-25, but England wouldn't give up, and once again Youngs played a big part. He picked out Ford, who in turn found Jack Nowell out wide, and the Exeter winger was in for the try. The latest chapter in what was a remarkable story at Twickenham. The try was converted by Ford, and it was 41-25. Shortly after that, James Haskell found himself in the referee's bad books for a trip on Poisson, and when the video was reviewed, Nigel Owens produced a yellow for the Wasps flanker. In a game that swung one way and then the other, the French then struck a hammer blow to England's title hopes with a quite sublime score. Nikai Takei left a number of English defenders in his wake, before finding Vincent Debatey who did brilliantly to get up in support of the speedy winger, the Claremont prop bringing the score back to 41-30, and although the conversion was missed, it still left England with lots to do in their chase of a 26-point win. However, to their credit, Lancaster's men kept pressing, and it didn't take long before they were over for another try to keep their hopes alive. From close range, England had a couple of dives for the line repelled before Billy Vunipola eventually made the lunge, and the referee awarded the try without the need for the TMO. Ford converted, and it was 48-30 on an extraordinary afternoon. No sooner had English hopes of a 26-point win been raised, than they were dashed again with another French score. The French maul was dominating with Haskell still off the field, and England had no response. A very controlled move by San Andres men, and substitute Benjamin Kayser got the touchdown. Once more the conversion was off target, but with the scoreline of 48-35 and a 13-point lead, time was running out for England. However, with five minutes remaining, the English conjured another wonderful score as the French legs tired. Ford passed to Noll, who burst through the tackles and over the line for a remarkable 12th try of the game, a hugely significant one because when Ford converted, it meant England were just another converted try away from the title. In nerve-wracking final moments, England pushed for what would be a potential title-winning try, but France just about held out. After a few nervous moments, and having spurned an earlier opportunity to end the game, the ball was eventually kicked dead and the full-time whistle blew. Heartache for England, who had come so close, played so well and tried so hard to bridge the points gap. Runners-up yet again under Stuart Lancaster. For France, a third defeat of the campaign and a fourth-place finish for a second season in a row. So at the end of the day, despite the big England win, it's Ireland who celebrate championship success. Final score at the end of an unbelievable afternoon of rugby, England 55, France 35.