The Vault: England v France
England have met France at five Rugby World Cups. Ahead of their meet on Saturday, we look back at those Tests.
1991: ENG 19 - 10 FRA
England’s early tactic involved hoisting up-and-under balls into the French 22, and after a few unsuccessful attempts, one was the catalyst behind their first three points.
Nigel Heslop hit Serge Blanco after the fullback had called for the mark, but Blanco lashed out with a punch, dropping Heslop, and John Webb was on hand to convert three points.
A no arm tackle then gave Webb the opportunity to double that lead which he did, and France got off the mark after 15 minutes – Thierry Lacroix getting the kick.
Guscott was the driving force behind England’s first score. Receiving the ball from Will Carling, he accelerated into the line and broke through a gap, weaving inside then out, he fixed the final defender before firing a pass across to Rory Underwood who dotted down to increase the lead to 10-3. Another France penalty made it 10-6 at half-time however.
A France try in the second half levelled the scores, but ill-discipline allowed Webb another three points, and a last-minute Carling try sealed a famous victory in Paris.
1995: ENG 9 - 19 FRA
France finished third at the 1995 Rugby World Cup after beating England 19-9 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria.
Having beaten Australia 25-22, before falling to New Zealand in the semis, England had scored 149 points in the tournament but France had only narrowly lost to eventual winners South Africa. They went into the Test seeking revenge for a 31-10 thumping England had handed them in the Five Nations earlier that year.
Three Rob Andrew penalties were cancelled out by Thierry Lacroix efforts, and tries courtesy of Emile Ntamack and Olivier Roumat secured victory for Les Bleus.
2003: ENG 24 - 7 FRA
Jonny Wilkinson scored all 24 of England’s points – three drop goals and five penalties – as they beat France in Sydney to book their place in the World Cup final.
Wind and torrential rain made for a tough Test where Wilkinson won the battle of the boot with opposite man Frederic Michalak, who missed his penalty attempts but converted the try of Serge Betsen.
That try came off the back of a wayward England line out, as the ball spilt for the French flanker, who managed to power over.
French ambitions were not helped by Christophe Dominici being sin binned for deliberately tripping Jason Robinson with his leg, and another yellow for France in the shape of try scorer Betsen, for a late tackle on Wilkinson in the final quarter gave England the upper hand as they ground out a win.
2007: ENG 14 - 9 FRA
Four years later and that man Wilkinson was back at it again, this time adding two penalties and a drop kick to the early score of Josh Lewsey, to send England into another World Cup final.
It took just two minutes for Lewsey to dot down, after hunting an Andy Gomarsall box-kick all the way down the left flank and up to the French try line.
The ball bobbled horribly for the covering Damien Traille, who was playing out of position at full back for the fixture, and into the arms of Lewsey who barrelled over the Biarritz man and the whitewash for five points.
Lionel Beauxis struck back with two penalties for Les Bleus, giving them a one point lead at the break, but Wilkinson’s boot proved the difference in the second half, condemning France to a semi-final exit, and sending England to their second World Cup final in a row.
2011: ENG 12 - 19 FRA
Dimitri Yachvili had got France off the mark with two penalties before Les Bleus extended their lead further on the 20 minute mark as Vincent Clerc pierced the English defence on the left flank.
With one defender to beat, he spun out of the tackle of Ben Foden and pounced over the line.
Ten minutes later and with England still not on the scoreboard, France bagged their second try. Morgan Parra fired a pass wide to Alexis Palisson who took three English defenders with him towards the corner flag before lifting a pass into the path of the onrushing Maxime Medard. The score at half-time was 16-0.
Foden found his way over the line for England’s first try, reducing the deficit to nine points, and another Yachvili penalty was answered with an unconverted Mark Cueto try, but it would just be a consolation as England exited the World Cup.
