ENGLAND:
Best: Freddie Steward
Rugby Pass 7/10: “man of his very poor team by a country mile here. So many of his involvements were positive and his defiance was rewarded by his 48th-minute try. Caught rotten nine minutes later, though, by the bouncing ball for France’s bonus point score.”
Mail Online 6/10: “Misjudgment cost a try but mopped up and got over for a score.”
Planet Rugby 5/10: “Steward was solid as ever under the high ball, strong with ball in hand, and he took his chance to rampage through Thomas Ramos and score well. Was left with far too much to do on defence.
Worst: Jack van Poortvliet
Evening Standard 4/10: “Failed to take control at the base of the ruck in a messy performance.”
Telegraph 3/10: “His job was to quicken the tempo but instead presided over a slow ruck and shanked a horrible box kick. Was hauled off for Mitchell minutes into the second half.”
Rugby Pass 4/10: “Very much a case of master and the apprentice, the rookie England scrum-half getting schooled by his oppsite number Dupont. Gone on 46 and not before time.”
Planet Rugby 3/10: “He was taken off just six minutes after half-time, and Borthwick would not have been blamed for doing it before then. The French pack put him under immense pressure, but he also made a few daft decisions on attack and made silly errors.”
Mail Online 3/10: “Too ponderous from base and replaced early in second half.”
FRANCE:
Best: Gregory Alldritt
Rugby Pass 9/10: “A return to form for Alldritt, who hadn’t heretofore hit the heights in 2023. No quarter was shown to the English at the breakdown and the La Rochelle man won pretty much every moment in which he was involved. A phenomenal shift.”
Planet Rugby 9/10: “He was a powerhouse for France on Saturday, making 93 metres in 15 carries, six tackles, and two turnovers won in key moments. Alldritt has become the benchmark for number eights in the modern game as he continues to churn out blockbuster performances as he did in this historic win.”
Worst: Julien Marchand
Planet Rugby 6/10:” Quiet to his lofty standards but a useful cog in the Les Bleus machine on a record-breaking night.“