LIVE MATCH COVERAGE
Six Nations
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23 |
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13 |
England
France
| Kick-off local time | : | Sat, 23 February 2013 - 17h00 |
| Kick-off | : | Sat, 23 February 2013 - 19h00 |
| Venue | : | London |
| Referee | : | TBC |
| Match status | : | Result |
| England | France | |
|---|---|---|
| Tries | Manu Tuilagi (55min) | Wesley Fofana (30min) |
| Penalties | Owen Farrell (2min), Owen Farrell (28min), Owen Farrell (39min), Owen Farrell (48min), Toby Flood (73min), and Toby Flood (77min) | Morgan Parra (6min) and Frederic Michalak (57min) |
| Conversions | Morgan Parra (30min) | |
| Penalty tries | ||
| Yellow cards | Dan Cole (80min) | |
| Red cards | ||
| DGs |
Commentary
| Minute | Commentary |
|---|---|
80 |
Dan Cole is given a YELLOW-CARD right at the end for holding back Maxime Machenaud at their last penalty but it does not make a difference as France just try and get something else from the game but they knock the ball on and that is FULL-TIME at Twickenham. England will be very happy with that win because the French side was much improved from two weeks ago. A number of good performances but the man-of-the-match went to England captain Chris Robshaw. Final score England 23-13 France at Twickenham. Join us tomorrow for the much anticipated clash between Scotland and Ireland from Murrayfield. |
77 |
England once again ounce on a French mistake as Michalak throws the pass to no one and Flood hacks it forward and Michalak tracks back but has to kick it out on his 22 metre line. From the resulting line-out France once again lose their discipline and are blown up so Flood kicks another PENALTY and puts the game beyond doubt. England lead 23-13. |
73 |
Once again the French are lazy at the break-down and give away another needless PENALTY as Bastareaud doesn't roll away and Flood doesn't make a mistake and England lead 20-13. |
72 |
The English put the pressure on the French again as Care drops a little box kick over the top into the French 22 but Huget manages to get it out just outside his 22. |
68 |
Flood sees some space out wide and drops a little cross kick in but the ball wins the race into touch before Ashton can get there. France kick the ball out off the resulting line-out. |
67 |
England return the favour with a great passage of play but it ends with a little grubber but Vincent Clerc is able to get back and dot it down for a 22 metre drop-out. |
65 |
France are starting to really get into the game now as they string together some really good phases and some enterprising passes after a Michalak chip, chase and regather. Top rugby from the French as their supporters start finding their voices. |
62 |
Massive moment as Owen Farrell looks to have injured his hamstring during that last kick at goal and so Toby Flood is on the field. |
59 |
Once again France are blown-up for ill-discipline and Farrell has another shot at goal from about 50 metres on the angle. He pulls it wide and France are still in the game. |
57 |
France have the opportunity to hit straight back as England are offside after the kick. Very unnecessary. Michalak has kicked the PENALTY over and France are within four points now, 17-13. |
55 |
England steal the ball at the breakdown after it is kicked through the ruck and it falls well for Tuilagi who just shows too much pace and gets over in the corner for his first TRY of the evening. Farrell pushes the conversion wide uncharacteristically. England up 17-10 |
53 |
France trying to create something but England have been defending well in open play. There is a knock from England in open play so France have a scrum about 35 metres away. |
50 |
England win a penalty and Youngs taps and goes but the French manage to hold the English up about 35 metres out and win a penalty of their own as England hold on to the ball at the breakdown. |
48 |
Farrell steps up and kicks the resulting PENALTY over and England take the lead 12-10. |
47 |
England kick a penalty into the 22 of the French but the French steal the ball and clear their lines. England have another crack with a driving maul and they win a penalty as France are blown up for collapsing the maul. |
44 |
Fofana having a huge game with a steal on the ground. Really putting his hand up for the man of the match award. France also starting to gain a bit of momentum with the ball in hand. |
42 |
France get a great bind in the scrum and they get the nudge on and they run over England and win the penalty just left of the posts 40 metres out. Parra pulls it wide. He will be very disappointed with that effort. |
41 |
The game is underway for the second-half as France restart the game. France need their bench to match that of the English if they want to win this one. |
39 |
France win a penalty for the jumper being taken out in the air. On the half-way line. It will be HALF-TIME after this play. Parra going for goal from about half-way. Interesting first half of rugby with both sides going at each other with everything that they have. Good to watch but the coaches will be a little frustrated that they haven't been able to gain the upper hand. France are much improved and England didn't expect it. They will come out a different side in the second half. |
33 |
Thomas Domingo is blown up for not releasing at the break-down and this is well within Farrells range. He kicks the PENALTY over and brings England within one point 10-9 to France. |
30 |
Phenomenal break from Wesley Fofana! He gets it on the outside a log way out but he shrugs of a number of players and has too much pace for Chris Ashton to go over for Frances first TRY. Parra has a touch kick from the left hand side but he kicks the CONVERSION. France lead 10-6. |
28 |
England winning the ball in the French 22 and Tuilaga breaks a few tackles but is stopped by Parra after an ankle high tackle but England are awarded a PENALTY for a ruck infringement. Farrell kicks it over and England lead 6-3 |
25 |
England have a penalty for the French not rolling away and Farrell kicks the ball towards the French 22 metre line as they get the drive going. |
24 |
Frantic stuff at Twickenham but both sides aren't focusing on using the ball that they have. A lot of off the ball stuff happening. |
22 |
France trying to attack from deep and Parra using the short-side a lot. Picamoles strong as ever with ball in hand. |
20 |
Both sides lacking precision in the ruck situation. A lot of knock-on's at the ruck and France dominating possession by 60% to 40%. |
18 |
In the first 18 minutes England have conceded 4 penalties with France only conceding 2. |
16 |
Another penalty, this time to England. Very abrasive first 20 minutes which means that both sides haven't been able to control the ball. |
14 |
England win another free-kick at the scrum and launch the up-an-under but France win another penalty from the ruck and kick it into the England half. Scrum results from a knock by Tuilagi in the midfield. |
12 |
France take the scrum from the free-kick and absolutely annihilate the English and win the penalty. They clear to the half-way line. |
9 |
A bit of a kicking duel appearing as England make their way into the French half and win a scrum for a knock just outside the French 22. England win a free-kick from the scrum for an early engage and England take another scrum. |
7 |
Farrell puts a great kick into the corner as Fall hands it off the Huget who kicks it out just outside their own 22. |
6 |
France showing a little bit of enterprise early with a little chip from Trinh-Duc and they win the penalty at the ruck. Parra will have his first shot from about 40 metres out, just to the left of the sticks. He kicks the PENALTY and it's 3-3. |
2 |
Yoann Maestri goes straight off his feet after the line-out was spoiled by France. England PENALTY and the way Farrell is kicking it is a formality. 3-0 England. |
1 |
England will get us underway at Twickenham and he goes deep with the start. Parra kicks it out just outside his 22. |
-5 |
The teams are heading onto the field and you cannot really see England not winning the game. |
-30 |
We are half an hour away from the kick-off in London as France look to try and get a win under their belts but they take on the high-flying England team. Freezing weather is the order of the day in the England capital as England look to extend their lead at the top of the Six Nations table. |
England
| Players | |
|---|---|
| 15 | Alex Goode |
| 14 | Chris Ashton |
| 13 | Manu Tuilagi |
| 12 | Brad Barritt |
| 11 | Mike Brown |
| 10 | Owen Farrell |
| 9 | Danny Care |
| 8 | Tom Wood |
| 7 | Chris Robshaw |
| 6 | Tom Croft |
| 5 | Geoff Parling |
| 4 | Joe Launchbury |
| 3 | Dan Cole |
| 2 | Tom Youngs |
| 1 | Joe Marler |
| Substitutes | |
|---|---|
| 23 | Billy Twelvetrees |
| 22 | Toby Flood |
| 21 | Ben Youngs |
| 20 | James Haskell |
| 19 | Courtney Lawes |
| 18 | Mako Vunipola |
| 17 | David Wilson |
| 16 | Dylan Hartley |
France
| Players | |
|---|---|
| 15 | Yoann Huget |
| 14 | Vincent Clerc |
| 13 | Mathieu Bastareaud |
| 12 | Wesley Fofana |
| 11 | Maxime Medard |
| 10 | Frederic Michalak |
| 9 | Morgan Parra |
| 8 | Louis Picamoles |
| 7 | Thierry Dusautoir |
| 6 | Antonie Claassen |
| 5 | Yoann Maestri |
| 4 | Sebastien Vahaamahina |
| 3 | Nicolas Mas |
| 2 | Benjamin Kayser |
| 1 | Thomas Domingo |
| Substitutes | |
|---|---|
| 23 | Gael Fickou |
| 22 | Francois Trinh-Duc |
| 21 | Maxime Machenaud |
| 20 | Yannick Nyanga |
| 19 | Christophe Samson |
| 18 | Luc Ducalcon |
| 17 | Vincent Debaty |
| 16 | Guilhem Guirado |