France clinch 2026 Six Nations title after late Thomas Ramos penalty
France have secured back-to-back Six Nations titles after a last-gasp Thomas Ramos penalty clinched a dramatic 48-46 victory over England in Paris on Saturday.
The thrilling conclusion at the Stade de France dashed the championship hopes of Ireland, who had beaten Scotland 43-21 earlier in the day to claim the Triple Crown.
Fabien Galthie’s side entered the final weekend needing a victory following a remarkable 50-40 defeat against the Scots at Murrayfield that had ended their Grand Slam ambitions.
Captain Antoine Dupont ultimately hoisted the trophy amid exploding fireworks to crown what is widely being hailed as the greatest edition in the tournament’s history.
A finale of cinematic proportions
The climax of the championship delivered a relentless 14-try spectacle between the hosts and a rejuvenated English squad.
Steve Borthwick’s men had arrived in the French capital under immense pressure following a historic defeat by Italy and a three-game losing streak.
Despite those recent struggles, the visitors scored seven tries to six and briefly looked to have won the game when Tommy Freeman crossed the line in the 76th minute.
However, the ice-cool Ramos ensured Les Bleus had the final word by striking the match-winning kick through the uprights with the last play of the game.
“England were blistering – their pace, their skill, their intensity, their physicality and they had a genuine chance of winning.”
Former England scrum-half Matt Dawson speaking to BBC 5 Live
Record-breaking Bielle-Biarrey shines
The historic encounter was further illuminated by the unstoppable form of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who crossed the whitewash four times against the English defence.
The 22-year-old winger has now scored in 10 consecutive championship matches, extending an unprecedented streak for the European competition.
Having broken the tournament try-scoring record with eight touchdowns last year, the dynamic back went one better this season to reach nine.
His astonishing career tally now stands at 18 tries in just 14 appearances, elevating him to joint-fifth on the all-time tournament scorer list.
Tumbling tournament statistics
This year’s championship shattered numerous attacking benchmarks, cementing its reputation as a uniquely high-scoring and unpredictable campaign.
- Teams combined for an unprecedented 111 tries across the five rounds, surpassing the previous record of 108 set last year.
- The final day alone produced a staggering 29 tries, setting a new milestone for the most scores recorded on a single Six Nations Saturday.
- Ireland delivered a record 42-21 away victory over England at Allianz Stadium in round three.
- Italy made history last weekend by beating the English side for the very first time.
