England stormed to a 16th consecutive win over France in their final warm-up match before the World Cup kicks off in two weeks. After a close-run Six Nations finale in April England’s 40-6 win in Mont-de-Marsan was a reminder of the physical gulf between the cross-Channel rivals, with the visitors’ pack instrumental in all six of their tries.
It was fitting that the game, a friendly only in name, was scheduled amid the street festival season in south-west France – matches against Les Bleues are rarely dull affairs, even if the Red Roses have dominated Le Crunch for the last seven years.
