Six Nations Championship 2026: England’s intrigues increase after their defeat by France

“England were strong, in terms of their pace, skill, intensity and physicality, and they had a real chance of winning,” former England international Matt Dawson said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I feel for the players because they will be frustrated, but I want them to be very positive, because if they keep playing like this over the next 18 months they will compete in big tournaments and big matches, and they will win big matches.”

And yet. When adrenaline levels drop, questions will also be asked.

Should England have made the victory stand?

With the ball reassembled by Chisum, the ball safely at the base, Sam Underhill, Henry Pollock and Chandler Cunningham-South on their feet as a potential block, and with only two minutes left on the clock, could England have kept the ball in hand and run the clock?

Instead, Jack van Poortvliet, who brought some power off the bench, opted to kick the ball wide and slot it in. Mathieu Jalibert, a villain on the broken pitch, accepted the call to run back and England were back under the pump.

Finishing off wins was a recurring failure in a string of close defeats in the autumn of 2024. It’s a habit England don’t want to regain.

The only thing they haven’t kicked yet is lack of discipline. Only one of the 162 teams’ campaigns in the history of the Six Nations – Italy 2002 – has received more cards than England this year.

Eight bookings, two of which combined for Henry Arundel’s 20th-minute red card against Scotland, hampered England throughout.

Ellis Genge was sent to the seat of shame in Paris, where he was cynically condemned to tow a French car heading to the line.

This may have been a marginal call, but, backed by its own line, England knew the stakes were high and the penalty for any violation would be heavy.

France returned to the lead in the absence of support.