England led 31-30 with just two minutes to go but France won a penalty on the half-way line which Ramos just about sent through the posts to clinch a famous victory.

That came at the end of a breathless game that was lit up by Le Garrec’s first-half try. The scrum-half brought the house down at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium when he started and finished a one-phase coast-to-coast move that ripped England apart.

It summed up a frantic, enthralling and at times error-strewn final match of the 2024 Championship, where the lead changed hands six times and both teams overturned two-score deficits.

France appeared to be running away with it when Le Garrec helped open a 16-3 lead, as they outthought and outmuscled England against the backdrop of an incredible atmosphere.

However, Ollie Lawrence crossed for two tries – one either side of half-time – and Marcus Smith added another as England spectacularly scored 21 unanswered points in just seven minutes of play.

France were eight points down but responded emphatically to regain the lead, as Leo Barre and Gael Fickou scored within four minutes of each other.

But England looked set for victory when Tommy Freeman went in at the corner and George Ford landed a sensational conversion just five minutes from full-time.

However, Ramos ensured France bagged the points to preserve their record under head coach Fabien Galthie of always finishing in the top two of the final table.