Champions Ireland retained their Six Nations title on points difference after an extraordinary final day.

The last round of games concluded with England falling agonisingly short of the 26-point winning margin they needed as they beat France 55-35 in an epic.

The day had started with Wales annihilating Italy 61-20 in Rome.

Ireland needed a huge win and their 40-10 demolition of Scotland was enough to both pass Wales and set a target just beyond England.

With three teams on three wins apiece going into the final round of games the stage was set, and what followed was one of the most incredible days in the tournament since it was first played in 1883, with 221 points scored in the three matches.

England started Saturday as leaders - just - from Ireland on points difference with Wales some way further back, and they would play in reverse order to decide who would become champions.

In the opener, Wales only led Italy by a point at half-time in Rome but cut loose in the second half, with George North's hat-trick ensuring Ireland needed to beat Scotland by 21 points to take the lead on points difference.

The champions duly hammered Scotland by 30 points in Edinburgh, meaning Wales were out of contention and that England needed to beat France by 26 points to take the title.

In a see-saw encounter at Twickenham, England pulled steadily clear but never managed to get into a lead that would have denied Ireland the title.

However, Jack Nowell's try with five minutes remaining put them 20 points ahead and meant a converted try would have given them the Championship.

They spent the closing moments hammering away at the French line in search of the winning points, and came within a foot of scoring, but in their desperation they infringed and the final whistle meant that although they had won handsomely, it was Ireland who are 2015 Six Nations champions.
(BBC)