Six Nations/France 31 England 6: In the end it was sheer blue murder. England retain a mathematical chance of winning this season's Six Nations championship but in reality this record-equalling defeat in Paris has left Andy Robinson's side mortally wounded as a credible title force.
Had France played with slightly more self-confidence the carnage could have been worse. After 11 minutes France were 13-0 ahead and cruising; had they gone for the jugular the final margin would have dwarfed England's previous nadir across the Channel, a 37-12 hiding in 1972.
"We were awful today," the head coach acknowledged. "We played poorly in all aspects of the game from the first whistle."
There were some extenuating circumstances for England to cling to. Matt Dawson, Mike Tindall, Steve Thompson, Lee Mears and Tom Voyce were hit by a gastroenteritis bug on the eve of the game and Dawson was so ill yesterday morning Andy Gomarsall had to be flown over as emergency cover. Dawson lasted almost an hour but, by the time he went off, England were already a long way up the proverbial creek. The game had barely been going 40 seconds when Frederic Michalak hoisted a high ball that fell between Jamie Noon and Josh Lewsey. The bounce did favour the French but they had runners in support as Florian Fritz scooted over untouched.
Dimitri Yachvili's conversion was followed by a penalty against Joe Worsley for holding on to a loose ball, and the mood was set.
Charlie Hodgson, in particular, was guilty of a litany of howlers before departing with a tweaked hamstring at half-time. His tally of knock-ons, missed tackles, failed line-kicks and flawed goalkicks, however, simply mirrored the uncertainty around him. Only the captain, Martin Corry, and the lineout, under Steve Borthwick's expert stewardship, stood up to consistent scrutiny.
Yachvili kicked another penalty and "Allez les Bleus" rang out. Either side of half-time, as France sat back slightly, the visitors did at least start to see some ball; Hodgson chipped over one penalty and his replacement, Andy Goode, did likewise within three minutes of the restart.
But from the moment Lewis Moody knocked-on a priceless turnover ball with men outside him, the game was clearly up.
Sure enough Michalak started to jink, the unfortunate Lewsey spilt another garryowen and, from a quick tap penalty by Yachvili, Damien Traille beat the desperate s cover - with assistance from Fritz - to score a second ludicrously soft try after 67 minutes.
Yachvili chipped over his fourth penalty before Goode summed up the afternoon with a hopeful long pass that was intercepted by Christophe Dominici. Who said the English can't throw a try-creating pass in midfield?
FRANCE: Castaignede; Rougerie, Fritz, Traille, Dominici; Michalak, Yachvili; Marconnet, Ibanez, De Villiers, Pelous, Thion, Nyanga, Magne, Lievremont. Replacements: Valbon for Traille (72 mins), Szarzewski for Ibanez (61 mins), Milloud for de Villiers (51mins), Nallet for Pelous (65 mins), Bonnaire for Magne (58 mins).
ENGLAND: Lewsey; Cueto, Noon, Tindall, Cohen; Hodgson, Dawson; Stevens, Thompson, White, Borthwick, Grewcock, Worsley, Moody, Corry. Replacements: Voyce for Tindall (58 mins), Goode for Hodgson (40 mins), Ellis for Dawson (58 mins), Sheridan for Stevens (61 mins), Mears for Thompson (61 mins), Shaw for Grewcock (69 mins), Dallaglio for Worsley (61 mins).
Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).
Guardian Service
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)