Daly try gives England precious victory over France

Men's Six Nations

England (7) 26

Tries: Lawrence, Freeman, Baxter, Daly Cons: F Smith (2), M Smith

France (7) 25

Tries: Bielle-Biarrey (2), Penaud Cons: Ramos (2) Pens: Ramos (2)

England snatched a dramatic victory over Six Nations favourites France as Elliot Daly glided in for decisive 79th-minute try at a rapturous Allianz Stadium.

Fin Smith, making his first start at fly-half, held his nerve with the conversion and, with their last-play defeat by Australia in the autumn still fresh in the memory, his team secured France's restart and, with it, victory.

It was a fitting conclusion to a frantic, scrappy slugfest, which featured plenty of mistakes, but no shortage of drama.

The lead swapped hands three times in the final 10 minutes as replacement prop Fin Baxter's try gave England a narrow lead, only for France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey to dance in and seemingly deny the hosts.

But England summoned the knockout blow on the penultimate passage of play as Fin Smith's pop pass put Daly into a hole and the replacement held off a despairing Antoine Dupont to go in.

After an opening-round loss to defending champions Ireland, defeat would have surely sunk any hopes England had of contending for the title.

Instead they head into a meeting with Scotland in a fortnight's time with a chance to reclaim the Calcutta Cup and head into the latter stages of the tournament with their aspirations of taking the crown for the first time since 2020 intact.

More to follow.

England: M Smith; Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Sleightholme; F Smith, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Stuart, Itoje (capt), Martin, T Curry, Earl, Willis

Replacements: George, Baxter, Heyes, Chessum, Cunningham-South, B Curry, Randall, Daly

France: Ramos; Penaud, Barassi, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Dupont (capt); Gros, Mauvaka, Atonio, Roumat, Meafou, Cros, Boudehent, Alldritt.

Replacements: Marchand, Baille, Colombe, Auradou, Guillard, Jegou, Le Garrec, Gailleton.