We are fast approaching kick off at Twickenham Stadium, with little under an hour to go before the 2023 edition of ‘Le Crunch’.
England and France have met a staggering 109 times, since their inaugural contest in Paris, back in 1906. Since then, England have come away victorious on 60 occasions, and France achieved 42 wins respectively. Only seven matches have resulted in a draw, with this fixture very rarely not producing a decisive victor.
Here is how England and France line-up ‘Head to Head’.
Highest Score – England 55 – 35 France: 2015 Six Nations
The 2015 meeting between England and France, saw the then Eddie Jones side record the highest victory in their competitive history. Taking place during that year’s Six Nations, saw England run in seven tries against France, with George Ford slotting each of the following conversions, and two additional penalties.
Ben Youngs and Jack Nowell each secured a brace, with Anthony Watson, George Ford and Billy Vunipola adding to the impressive points tally. However, the post match celebrations were cut short, as England realised that they had not achieved the 26-point margin of victory required for the title, and left the pitch at Twickenham Stadium looking dejected.
Most Appearances in the Fixture: Jason Leonard (18)
The legendary prop Jason Leonard holds the record for the most ‘Le Crunch’ caps. Accruing 18 appearences in the fixture, Leonard’s record stands since his last meeting in 2004. Leonard is a true England caps record breaker, as he also became the first England forward to achieve 100 appearances for his country, in a 14-year international career.
Most Tries in The Fixture: Douglas Lambert (8)
Despite only making seven appearances for England, Douglas Lambert left his mark with a record that has stood since 1911. A giant of a man at 6 ft 4, and built like a brick wall, Lambert enlisted into the British Army, yet found rugby success alongside his deployments. Lambert scored five tries on his international debut, which saw him called in as a late wringer to play France in 1097.
A frequent feature for Harlequins from 1904 to 1914, Lambert enjoyed a rugby career before the breakout of the First World War. Nicknamed ‘The Hammer of the French’ Lambert played against ‘Les Bleus’ twice more, scoring three further tries. An unprecedented 46 points in just seven England matches, sees Lambert remembered as a strike of lightning for his country, and a revered name in the annuals of ‘Le Crunch’ history.
Most Points in One Match: George Ford 25 (2015)
Taking place in the aforementioned twelve try thriller of 2015, George Ford certainly had his shooting boots with him that day. Slotting nine consecutive efforts from the tee, saw the Sale Sharks player nail conversion after conversion with ease. Even after the daylight was achieved at Twickenham Stadium, two additional penalties saw Ford achieve the record, that has since stood for eight years.