Gaël Fickou enjoyed the most remarkable five minute cameo in recent memory, coming off the bench to score a sensational try and crush England’s hopes of victory. It was a cracking match – the pick of the weekend – and while neither team were at their best, the tension was palpable from minute one through eighty. Yoann Huget’s try barely thirty seconds in brought the crowd immediately into the match and from then on the atmosphere was superb.

When Jean-Marc Doussain slotted a penalty after Huget had notched his second, the game looked like it might get away from England, and for a while it did, but a spark from Danny Care and Mike Brown’s fine effort to score just before the half pulled his team back into contention. England hadn’t been as bad as the scoreline suggested, but they had botched their opportunities while France had taken theirs. When Luther Burrell scored a debut try, created by Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola, it ripped the momentum back decisively in England favour.

A cheeky drop goal from Care extended the lead beyond penalty range, and it was thus hugely perplexing when Stuart Lancaster pulled him off not five minutes later. Similarly Brad Barritt replaced Jack Nowell, shifting Luther Burrell even further out of position to the wing, occupying a space he is only sparingly familiar with and has never looked comfortable at. These changes had a direct impact on the result and appear to have been automatic, with no consideration for the rhythm of the match.

By contrast the French substitutes were all made with purpose. Maxime Machenaud spelled off a stagnant Doussain, and Fickou replaced an exhausted Mathieu Bastareaud. While they were no doubt planned to an extent, their timing and purpose was immeasurably more positive. With Andy Goode, forced to play most of the game after Jonny May broke his nose, playing a catastrophic role in the defeat, Lancaster must re-examine not only his bench composition, but his replacement strategy.

Burrell and Nowell were mostly a mixed bag, which was to be expected, but reasonably favourable and worthy of further investment. The forwards went well for the most part, though the scrum was under significant duress, and Owen Farrell had one of his better matches for England. Sadly the same can’t be said for Billy Twelvetrees, who made a few notable errors and is really struggling to find his form at the moment.

Philippe Saint-André will be mostly pleased with Jules Plisson’s inaugural run-out, though he may wish to reconsider at scrumhalf after a rather pedestrian effort from Doussain. Bernard Le Roux had little impact and Antoine Burban didn’t fare much better. Perhaps a chance for Virgile Bruni to press his case? Yannick Nyanga was magnificent and surely Fickou deserves a start after such an impact.

The result throws the tournament wide open, with France now a real contender and England with it all to do. Both should have it a little easier next week as Italy arrive in Paris and England trudge off to Edinburgh. What drama and we’ve only just begun.

SCORING
01 mins – Y. Huget try 5-0
05 mins – O. Farrell pen 5-3
11 mins – J.M. Doussain pen 8-3
17 mins – Y. Huget try 13-3
22 mins – J.M. Doussain pen 16-3
36 mins – M. Brown try 16-8
43 mins – O. Farrell pen 16-11
48 mins – L. Burrell try 16-16
49 mins – O. Farrell con 16-18
57 mins – D. Care drop 16-21
70 mins – M. Machenaud pen 19-21
73 mins – A. Goode pen 19-24
77 mins – G. Fickou try 24-24
78 mins – M. Machenaud con 26-24

FRANCE
B. Dulin; Y. Huget, M. Bastareaud (G. Fickou 75), W. Fofana, M. Medard; J. Plisson, J.M. Doussain (M. Machenaud 57); T. Domingo (Y. Forestier 49), B. Kayser (D. Szarzewski 43), N. Mas (R. Slimani 49); A. Flanquart (Y. Maestri 43), P. Pape (capt.); Y. Nyanga, B. Le Roux (A. Burban HT), L. Picamoles (D. Chouly 65).

ENGLAND
M. Brown; J. Nowell (B. Barritt 66), L. Burrell, B. Twelvetrees, J. May (A. Goode 7); O. Farrell, D. Care (L Dickson 61); J. Marler (M. Vunipola 51), D. Hartley (T. Youngs 58), D. Cole; J. Launchbury, C. Lawes (D. Attwood 68); T. Wood, C. Robshaw (capt.), B. Vunipola (B. Morgan 66).

Referee: N. Owens (WRU)
Assistants: A. Rolland (IRFU) & S. Barry (SARU)
TMO: J. Yuille (SRU)