England toast French with superb home display
England produce magnificent first-half display to defeat France 34-10
Also In The News
|
Finance ministers from the G20 countries have announced they are committed to a "sustained effort" to help revive growth in the global economy. |  |
Sunday, 15, Mar 2009 09:18
Under-pressure England produced a magnificent first-half display to defeat France 34-10 at Twickenham.
A first-minute Mark Cueto try stunned the visitors and the Twickenham crowd were silenced as fast, fluent English rugby saw Riki Flutey, Delon Armitage and Joe Worsley all touch down before the break.
Flutey scored again as the second half began and though Dimitri Szarzewski and Julien Malzieu crossed for France in a tight last half hour, the hosts held on to record a well-deserved win.
England got off to the perfect start after a nippy break from Flutey split the French backline and with Cueto racing outside Sebastien Chabal on the overlap, the Sale winger collected an easy pass to race home from the 22.
A searing break from Ugo Monye sustained England pressure and though indiscipline reared its ugly head as veteran lock Simon Shaw handed France a penalty on the ten-metre line, Morgan Parra sent the kick wide.
Martin Johnson's men were then awarded a penalty inside the 22 on 17 minutes after further French infringement and Toby Flood made no mistake to put England 10-0 up as the first half neared the halfway stage.
The Flutey-Cueto combination was then key to England's second try as the latter's darting diagonal line sliced the French defence open, allowing him a simple offload to the onrushing Flutey.
Flood kicked his third successful spot kick to leave England 17-0 up after a blistering first 25 minutes and French hearts were in their mouths as Shaw stormed over from 15 yards but Stuart Dickinson rightly called play back for a forward pass.
But a majestic passage of play begun by an insistent Armitage run took England into dreamland at 24-0 up with the London Irish full back crossing from five yards and Flood converting after the hosts had pegged Les Bleus on the try-line.
Another brilliant Flutey break and a chip and chase saw Flood go close before captain Steve Borthwick gave Worsley an easy lay-off to take England into an unimaginable lead at half-time.
Andy Goode replaced Flood at half-time as England looked to build on their best first half of the Johnson era and they started in fine fashion as a lightning quick Armitage break from a turnover decimated the visiting backs before Flutey eventually crashed over in support.
The visitors came close to notching their first points of the day on 54 minutes after some complacent England play but Heymans' pass deflected off the tackling Armitage and bounced harmlessly into touch.
Szarzewski dived over from a yard after a French maul but a dreadful conversion attempt from Parra exemplified Les Bleus' woeful performance.
England were warned by referee Dickinson after conceding their 12th penalty of the game before Malzieu crossed the whitewash on the right to take the French into double figures, though Traille could not convert.
Tom Croft was named man of the match as England finally made good on promise shown in the Six Nations defeats to champions Wales and favourites Ireland.