In a promising preparation for the Gillette Four Nations Series, England triumphed over a determined France with a score of 32-18, in front of a substantial crowd of 16,866 at Parc des Sports in Avignon.
France, almost replicating the lineup that faced a 38-18 defeat against the England Knights just a week ago, delivered a significantly improved performance, offering England a valuable opportunity to test their mettle before facing Wales today.
However, Steve McNamara’s team proved to be too skilled for their rivals, with debutants Jack Reed, Rangi Chase, and Chris Heighington all making significant contributions.
Chase, who demonstrated the finesse that earned him the 2011 Man of Steel, was awarded man of the match, while Reed showcased an exhilarating 70-metre try to highlight his performance.
Although McNamara may feel frustrated by the two late tries conceded, making the scoreline appear closer than it was, there was still much to appreciate about England’s display. Kevin Sinfield, Gareth Ellis, and James Roby all reinforced their world-class reputations, with Kirk Yeaman showcasing an impressive return to international rugby.
Sinfield, who played the entire 80 minutes, set the match’s tone with a 40-20 kick during the initial set of tackles, positioning Reed to assist his winger Ryan Hall in scoring the first try within just 90 seconds.
A promising tryscoring opportunity arose for Sinfield after clever offloading by front rowers James Graham and Jamie Peacock, but full-back Cyril Stacul intervened with a crucial tackle, allowing France to respond with their strongest phase of the match.
Debutant centre Mathias Pala initiated a break that led to danger, paving the way for captain Olivier Elima to score an equalizing try, beating defenders to Thomas Bosc’s grubber kick, amidst some controversial play regarding a possible knock-on.
Bosc converted the try to give France a brief lead, but missed a subsequent penalty, while loose forward Jason Baitieri fumbled the ball while under pressure, denying France a solid scoring opportunity.
Eventually, the visitors steadied themselves and controlled the match with three tries in the last 11 minutes of the first half, with Chase playing a crucial role in the comeback.
The New Zealand-born Castleford Tigers star collaborated with Sam Tomkins to enable Yeaman to score at the 29-minute mark, then made a long pass that allowed Yeaman to assist Tom Briscoe for his first try shortly thereafter.
The standout moment occurred just before halftime; Sinfield set up Graham to burst through the French defense, leading to a gorgeous pass allowing Roby to dot down.
With Sinfield’s second conversion, the halftime score read 20-6, and any hopes of a French recovery were dashed when Briscoe scored his second try shortly after the second half began, brilliantly sidestepping his marker thanks to more fine work from Tomkins.
After the 50-minute mark, England opted to substitute Tomkins as a precaution, with replacement full-back Gareth Widdop making an immediate impact by pushing through the first line of defense to set Reed on a magnificent run to the line, dismissing two defenders.
Sinfield’s fourth successful goal widened the lead to 26 points, but England eased off in the last ten minutes, allowing France a chance for consolation.
Energetic replacement hooker Eloi Pelissier crossed the line for a try, and winger Vincent Duport smoothly evaded Widdop to add another, with Bosc successfully converting for his third goal.
France Chanticleers:
Tries: Olivier Elima, Vincent Duport, Eloi Pellisier
Goals: Thomas Bosc 3 from 4 Team: Cyril Stacul, Vincent Duport, Jean Philippe Baile, Mathias Pala, Fred Vaccari, Dane Chisholm, Thomas Bosc, David Ferriol, Gregory Mounis, Remy Casty, Olivier Elima, Cyril Gossard, Jason Baitieri. Subs: Eloi Pellissier, Djamel Fakir, Mikael Simon, Sebastian Raguin
England:
Tries: Tom Briscoe 2, Kirk Yeaman, James Roby, Ryan Hall, Jack Reed
Goals: Kevin Sinfield 4 from 6 Team: Sam Tomkins, Ryan Hall, Jack Reed, Kirk Yeaman, Tom Briscoe, Kevin Sinfield, Rangi Chase, Jamie Peacock, James Roby, James Graham, Gareth Ellis, Ben Westwood, Chris Heighington, Gareth Widdop, Adrian Morley, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Jon Wilkin
by Buford Balony
