Summary

  • France beat England 26-24 in epic

  • Huget two tries, Fickou also crosses for France

  • Late Machenaud conversion gives France victory

  • Brown, Burrell tries for England

  • Champions Wales beat Italy 23-15 in first game

  • Wales tries Cuthbert, Williams; Italy Campagnaro 2

  1. Postpublished at 19:31 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    What conclusion do we come to after the opening day of the 2014 Six Nations? The report card for all four teams would probably read 'could do better' but that doesn't mean the matches did not thrill us.

    BBC Sport's Ben Dirs was in Cardiff and he says Wales began the defence of their title with an "unconvincing victory" while Tom Fordyce, our chief sports reporter in Paris, says a "gripping, see-saw thriller" will come as little comfort to England's inexperienced team.

    France v EnglandImage source, Getty Images
  2. Get involved #bbcrugbypublished at 19:26 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    James Bennett:, external Wales win and England lose. My mum will be pretty pleased with that.

    Defiant Mode:, external Wales have a lot of work to do as do the French and English. It's Ireland's for the taking.

    Nathan Houston:, external What a brilliant day for rugby...

  3. Postpublished at 19:26 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    Jack Nowell's stats pale in comparison with France full-back Brice Dulin, who made a whopping 106m in that match. How did debutant Jules Plisson perform? The Stade Francais outside-half did not dazzle according to the list I have in front of me, as he failed to make a break, didn't make any offloads, missed three tackles and also conceded two turnovers. But he will care not one jot about all of that at the moment because he is the one celebrating in the dressing room right now while the rest of us are watching The Voice.

  4. Postpublished at 19:19 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    Flanker Tom Wood was England's most prolific tackler with 11 tackles but he did miss two. In terms of bulldozing charges around the field, Ben Morgan managed to make 40m with the ball in hand despite only coming on as a second-half substitute but it is debutant Jack Nowell who tops that particular list, making 87m in total.

  5. Postpublished at 19:14 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    France v EnglandImage source, Getty Images

    England Rugby on Twitter:, external Heartbreak for England after 18 unanswered points to threaten their best ever Test comeback. Players can hold their heads high.

  6. Postpublished at 19:13 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    Both France and England made nine clean breaks but the visitors conceded double the amount of penalties (eight in total). England had the upper hand when it came to metres gained and carries made but the most important numbers of all, as always, are in the scoreline.

  7. Postpublished at 19:10 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    France v EnglandImage source, Getty Images

    The stats are already filtering through our fax machine which has yet to fully recover from the chaos of Friday's transfer deadline day. England enjoyed 59% of possession and 63% of territory at the Stade de France but the most important numbers of all, as always, in the scoreline.

  8. Get involved via Facebookpublished at 19:03 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    France v ItalyImage source, Getty Images

    Adam Salanson:, external Once again, England fall at the final hurdle. Why have we not got players that have that cutting edge? It's getting boring watching the same old England letting us down right at the end.

    Ian Newman:, external Tom Youngs comes on for Hartley, the England lineout disintegrates, England lose. Shades of the All Black game in the autumn.

    San Lam:, external Another England team who can't finish off the job...

  9. Postpublished at 19:02 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    If you missed any of the tries today, or just want to watch them again and again and again, then you are free to do so. How? All you have to do is head for the 'Highlights' tab at the top of this page and you will find highlights of Wales' 23-15 victory over Italy already there, as well as a few stunning tries from the Stade de France. You're welcome.

  10. Get involved #bbcrugbypublished at 19:00 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    Phil Hakim:, external I really hate losing to the French...

    Apatel12:, external After that second half comeback, England really should've won that.

    Alex Shaw:, external England outplayed France for 50 minutes but were punished for poor errors early on.

  11. Postpublished at 18:58 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    Ben Kay
    Former England lock on BBC Radio 5 live

    "Heartbreak for England. The first two tries for the French were fortuitous and England did really well to come back into it. When they played to their strengths it looked like France couldn't live with them. But then England let the game open up and it returned to the traditional French strengths.

    "Of course they will be disappointed, but they should take heart about the way this young side came back after being 16 points down. But it will take them a long time to recover from this disappointment."

  12. Postpublished at 18:58 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    Ben Kay
    Former England lock on BBC Radio 5 live

    "I don't think England need to change an awful lot. They need to tighten things, focus. No-one will win the Gram Slam, but England can still take this championship."

  13. Postpublished at 18:58 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    England form a huddle on the pitch with captain Chris Robshaw rallying his troops with some words of wisdom. They were so close to beating the French on their own turf, but close is not close enough.

  14. Postpublished at 18:55 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    Sir Clive Woodward
    Former England coach on BBC One

    "Huge courage from the England team but a massive win for France. This result will just change their season. England have to learn how to close out a game."

  15. FULL-TIMEpublished at 18:54 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    France v EnglandImage source, Getty Images

    Deafening roars and the home team celebrate! What an end. What a start to this wonderful competition.

  16. Postpublished at 18:53 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    It was Yannick Nyanga's battering charge down the right touchline which flicked the switch for the French and set the hosts rumbling forward for a move which ended in Gael Fickou's burst through from the left. The French followers are in full voice. Trumpets are being blown. They know the finishing line is in sight.

  17. Postpublished at 18:51 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2014

    Ben Kay
    Former England lock on BBC Radio 5 live

    "The Stade de France has gone absolutely mental. All the French fans were thinking they were going to be on the end of a beating, but at their lethal best they counter-attacked. That pace outdid those tired England bodies. England need leadership underneath those posts - Robshaw must tell them to get down the other end, camp down, and work something out."