History of rugby union matches between England and France

The first Anglo-French rugby union match was held on March 22, 1906 at Parc des Princes in Paris.

The traditional name for the annual England versus France rugby union match in the Six Nations Championship as used on both sides of the English Channel is Le Crunch, used since at least 1981.[1] Games have also been played as Tests and at the Rugby World Cup. England and France have played each other on 102 occasions, England winning 56, France winning 39, and 7 matches have been drawn. Overall, England have scored 1,623 points, and France 1,290.

Summary

Overall

Details Played Won by
 England		 Won by
 France		 Drawn England points France points
In England 48 32 11 5 854 513
In France 51 23 26 2 724 732
Neutral venue 3 1 2 0 45 45
Overall 102 56 39 7 1,623 1,290

Records

Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set.

Record England France
Longest winning streak 11 (22 Mar 1906–25 Feb 1922) 4 (22 Jun 1995–7 Feb 1998)
Largest points for
Home 55 (21 March 2015) 37 (26 February 1972)
Away 39 (3 April 1914) 35 (21 March 2015)
Largest winning margin
Home 37 (28 January 1911) 25 (12 March 2006)
Away 27 (22 March 1906) 10 (22 June 1995)

Results

No. Date Venue Score Winner Competition Match report
102 19 March 2016 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 21 – 31  England 2016 Six Nations Championship
101 22 August 2015 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 25 – 20  France 2015 Rugby World Cup warm ups BBC Sport
100 15 August 2015 Twickenham, London 19 – 14  England BBC Sport
99 21 March 2015 Twickenham, London 55 – 35  England 2015 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
98 1 February 2014 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 26 – 24  France 2014 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
97 23 February 2013 Twickenham, London 23 – 13  England 2013 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
96 11 March 2012 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 22 – 24  England 2012 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
95 8 October 2011 Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand 19 – 12  France 2011 Rugby World Cup BBC Sport
94 26 February 2011 Twickenham, London 17 – 9  England 2011 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
93 20 March 2010 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 12 – 10  France 2010 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
92 15 March 2009 Twickenham, London 34 – 10  England 2009 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
91 23 February 2008 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 13 – 24  England 2008 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
90 13 October 2007 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 9 – 14  England 2007 Rugby World Cup BBC Sport
89 18 August 2007 Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France 22 – 9  France 2007 Rugby World Cup warm up BBC Sport
88 11 August 2007 Twickenham, London 15 – 21  France BBC Sport
87 11 March 2007 Twickenham, London 26 – 18  England 2007 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
86 12 March 2006 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 31 – 6  France 2006 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
85 14 February 2005 Twickenham, London 17 – 18  France 2005 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
84 27 March 2004 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 24 – 21  France 2004 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
83 16 November 2003 Telstra Stadium, Sydney, Australia 24 – 7  England 2003 Rugby World Cup BBC Sport
82 6 September 2003 Twickenham, London 45 – 14  England 2003 Rugby World Cup warm up BBC Sport
81 30 August 2003 Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 17 – 16  France BBC Sport
80 15 February 2003 Twickenham, London 25 – 17  England 2003 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
79 2 March 2002 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 20 – 15  France 2002 Six Nations Championship
78 7 April 2001 Twickenham, London 48 – 19  England 2001 Six Nations Championship
77 19 February 2000 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 9 – 15  England 2000 Six Nations Championship BBC Sport
76 20 March 1999 Twickenham, London 21 – 10  England 1999 Five Nations Championship BBC Sport
75 7 February 1998 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 24 – 17  France 1998 Five Nations Championship
74 1 March 1997 Twickenham, London 20 – 23  France 1997 Five Nations Championship
73 20 January 1996 Parc des Princes, Paris, France 15 – 12  France 1996 Five Nations Championship
72 22 June 1995 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa 9 – 19  France 1995 Rugby World Cup
71 4 February 1995 Twickenham, London 31 – 10  England 1995 Five Nations Championship
70 5 March 1994 Parc des Princes, Paris 14 – 18  England 1994 Five Nations Championship
69 16 January 1993 Twickenham, London 16 – 15  England 1993 Five Nations Championship
68 15 February 1992 Parc des Princes, Paris 13 – 31  England 1992 Five Nations Championship
67 19 October 1991 Parc des Princes, Paris 10 – 19  England 1991 Rugby World Cup
66 16 March 1991 Twickenham, London 21 – 19  England 1991 Five Nations Championship
65 3 February 1990 Parc des Princes, Paris 7 – 26  England 1990 Five Nations Championship
64 4 March 1989 Twickenham, London 11 – 0  England 1989 Five Nations Championship
63 16 January 1988 Parc des Princes, Paris 10 – 9  France 1988 Five Nations Championship
62 21 February 1987 Twickenham, London 15 – 19  France 1987 Five Nations Championship
61 15 March 1986 Parc des Princes, Paris 29 – 10  France 1986 Five Nations Championship
60 2 February 1985 Twickenham, London 9 – 9   draw 1985 Five Nations Championship
59 3 March 1984 Parc des Princes, Paris 32 – 18  France 1984 Five Nations Championship
58 15 January 1983 Twickenham, London 15 – 19  France 1983 Five Nations Championship
57 20 February 1982 Parc des Princes, Paris 15 – 27  England 1982 Five Nations Championship
56 21 March 1981 Twickenham, London 12 – 16  France 1981 Five Nations Championship
55 2 February 1980 Parc des Princes, Paris 13 – 17  England 1980 Five Nations Championship
54 1 February 1979 Twickenham, London 7 – 6  England 1979 Five Nations Championship
53 21 January 1978 Parc des Princes, Paris 15 – 6  France 1978 Five Nations Championship
52 1 February 1977 Twickenham, London 3 – 4  France 1977 Five Nations Championship
51 20 March 1976 Parc des Princes, Paris 30 – 9  France 1976 Five Nations Championship
50 1 February 1975 Twickenham, London 20 – 27  France 1975 Five Nations Championship
49 2 March 1974 Parc des Princes, Paris 12 – 12   draw 1974 Five Nations Championship
48 24 February 1973 Twickenham, London 14 – 6  England 1973 Five Nations Championship
47 26 February 1972 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 37 – 12  France 1972 Five Nations Championship
46 27 February 1971 Twickenham, London 14 – 14   draw 1971 Five Nations Championship
45 18 April 1970 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 35 – 13  France 1970 Five Nations Championship
44 22 February 1969 Twickenham, London 22 – 8  England 1969 Five Nations Championship
43 24 February 1968 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 14 – 9  France 1968 Five Nations Championship
42 25 February 1967 Twickenham, London 12 – 16  France 1967 Five Nations Championship
41 26 February 1966 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 13 – 0  France 1966 Five Nations Championship
40 27 February 1965 Twickenham, London 9 – 6  England 1965 Five Nations Championship
39 22 February 1964 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3 – 6  England 1964 Five Nations Championship
38 23 February 1963 Twickenham, London 6 – 5  England 1963 Five Nations Championship
37 24 February 1962 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 13 – 0  France 1962 Five Nations Championship
36 25 February 1961 Twickenham, London 5 – 5   draw 1961 Five Nations Championship
35 27 February 1960 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3 – 3   draw 1960 Five Nations Championship
34 28 February 1959 Twickenham, London 3 – 3   draw 1959 Five Nations Championship
33 1 March 1958 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 0 – 14  England 1958 Five Nations Championship
32 23 February 1957 Twickenham, London 9 – 5  England 1957 Five Nations Championship
31 14 April 1956 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 14 – 9  France 1956 Five Nations Championship
30 26 February 1955 Twickenham, London 9 – 16  France 1955 Five Nations Championship
29 10 April 1954 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 11 – 3  France 1954 Five Nations Championship
28 28 February 1953 Twickenham, London 11 – 0  England 1953 Five Nations Championship
27 5 April 1952 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3 – 6  England 1952 Five Nations Championship
26 24 February 1951 Twickenham, London 3 – 11  France 1951 Five Nations Championship
25 25 February 1950 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 6 – 3  France 1950 Five Nations Championship
24 26 February 1949 Twickenham, London 8 – 3  England 1949 Five Nations Championship
23 29 March 1948 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 15 – 0  France 1948 Five Nations Championship
22 19 April 1947 Twickenham, London 6 – 3  England 1947 Five Nations Championship
21 6 April 1931 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 14 – 13  France 1931 Five Nations Championship
20 22 February 1930 Twickenham, London 11 – 5  England 1930 Five Nations Championship
19 1 April 1929 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 6 – 16  England 1929 Five Nations Championship
18 25 February 1928 Twickenham, London 18 – 8  England 1928 Five Nations Championship
17 2 April 1927 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3 – 0  France 1927 Five Nations Championship
16 27 February 1926 Twickenham, London 11 – 0  England 1926 Five Nations Championship
15 13 April 1925 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 11 – 13  England 1925 Five Nations Championship
14 23 February 1924 Twickenham, London 19 – 7  England 1924 Five Nations Championship
13 2 April 1923 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3 – 12  England 1923 Five Nations Championship
12 25 February 1922 Twickenham, London 11 – 11   draw 1922 Five Nations Championship
11 28 March 1921 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 6 – 10  England 1921 Five Nations Championship
10 31 January 1920 Twickenham, London 8 – 3  England 1920 Five Nations Championship
9 13 April 1914 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 13 – 39  England 1914 Five Nations Championship
8 25 January 1913 Twickenham, London 20 – 0  England 1913 Five Nations Championship
7 8 April 1912 Parc des Princes, Paris 8 – 18  England 1912 Five Nations Championship
6 28 January 1911 Twickenham, London 37 – 0  England 1911 Five Nations Championship
5 3 March 1910 Parc des Princes, Paris 3 – 11  England 1910 Five Nations Championship
4 30 January 1909 Welford Road, Leicester 22 – 0  England
3 1 January 1908 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 0 – 19  England
2 5 January 1907 Athletic Ground, Richmond London 41 – 13  England
1 22 March 1906 Parc des Princes, Paris 8 – 35  England

Breakdown

In the World Cup, the teams have played on five occasions, with England winning three and France two; there have been no draws. In these games, England have scored 78 points, and France 64.

In the Five Nations (1910–1999), England have played France on 70 occasions, England winning 36, France 27 and seven matches have been drawn. In these games, England have scored 889 points, and France 775.

In the Six Nations (2000–present), England have played France on 16 occasions, England winning ten, France winning six, and no matches have been drawn. In these games, England have scored 360 points, and France 270.

In other test matches, England have played France on ten occasions, England winning six, France winning four, and no matches have been drawn. Overall, England have scored 241 points, and France have 134.

World Cup meetings

2003 World Cup Semi Final

England had come into the 2003 World Cup as favourites, but up to the semi final their form was steady rather than spectacular. In the quarter final stages, France beat Ireland convincingly, whilst England stuttered to a victory over Wales. These results meant many thought France could spring a surprise and get to their second successive final.

The weather on the day was heavy rain and torrential winds, which experts believed would fancy the English forward-dominated game, rather than the French free-flowing backs game. Jonny Wilkinson opened the scoring with a drop goal within the first ten minutes, before Serge Betsen scored a try after stealing a lineout. The try was converted by Frederick Michalak.

Jonny Wilkinson is going to try a conversion. He scored four drop goals in semi-final in 2003, and did a brilliant performance four years later, again during a semi-final.

The game soon swung back in England's favour, when French winger Christophe Dominici was sin-binned for a deliberate trip on Jason Robinson. Wilkinson added another nine points before half time, to give England a 12–7 lead.

England continued to dominate in the second half, helped by an out of sorts Michalak missing his third penalty. Betsen became the second French player to get sin binned after a late challenge on Wilkinson, who converted the subsequent penalty. Shortly after Wilkinson made it a hat trick of drop goals. England wrapped up the game with another two penalties from Jonny Wilkinson and a final score of 24–7.[2]

The win put England into their first final since the 1991 World Cup, where they would play the same opponents Australia on their home ground. Afterwards, French captain, Fabien Galthie conceded that "England adapted to the weather better than us", whilst his English counterpart Martin Johnson said "we needed passion and it was a great display".[3]

2007 World Cup Semi Final

Before the 2007 World Cup began, both defending champions England and last time semi finalists France were considered outsiders to win the tournament. England had stuttered through the group stages, losing 36–0 to South Africa but ended up second in the group. In the quarter finals, England caused a major upset by beating arch-rivals Australia 12–10, despite many pundits writing off their chances before the game.

France also qualified a disappointing second from their group, after losing to Argentina. The French were also underdogs for their quarter final against pre-tournament favourites New Zealand. France ended up winning thanks to a disputed winning try by Yannick Jauzion.[4][5]

Despite beating the Wallabies, the English were still heavily tipped to lose, mainly because the French were expected to challenge more upfront. Five victories in the last six matches also meant that recent track record was in favour of France. England had not won in Paris since 2000. The game began 21:00 local time and within two minutes a box kick by English scrumhalf Andy Gomarsall was not dealt with by French full-back Damien Traille and Josh Lewsey capitalized with a try. Jonny Wilkinson missed the conversion to the left. Two penalties before half time by Lionel Beauxis gave the French a slender advantage.

Shortly after half time, Beauxis scored his third penalty to give France a 9–5 advantage. Minutes later, Wilkinson scored his first successful kick of the game to bring it back to one point. Wilkinson could have given England the lead, but his drop goal could only hit the upright. France also had a chance to score, when Vincent Clerc looked certain to score a try; however a last-ditch tap tackle by Joe Worsley prevented him from crossing the try line and kept England in the match.

In the 75th minute, Wilkinson slotted in a penalty to give England the lead. Only three minutes later he scored another three points, this time through a drop goal, to give England a 14–9 lead, with only two minutes left. Despite heavy pressure from the French, England managed to hold on.[6]

After the game, England's manager Brian Ashton commented, "these guys won't give up. People talk about a British bulldog spirit and it is very much here in this group". The England captain, Phil Vickery also praised the team by saying, "to beat France, in France, in a World Cup semi-final is a huge effort from everyone". The French manager Bernard Laporte rued the missed try opportunity, noting "if we had scored that try we would have won the match, but we didn't".[7][8]

2011 World Cup Quarter Final

France 19–12 England.

France had many difficulties during the pool stage. Indeed, the team of Marc Lièvremont, lost two matches, against New-Zealand and Tonga. So England was probably the favourite before the beginning of the match. But rugby as a sport is very difficult to predict, and what happened on the field this day was unexpected. The first half was very difficult for England. France played very well and we did not see that since 2010 and the Grand Slam during the 6 nations. Dimitri Yachvili scored two penalties and Vincent Clerc scored the first try after many missed tackles by England (22e). Dimitri Yachvili did not convert the try and France led by 11 points to nil. But it was not yet half time and Maxime Médard scored another try (30e). At the break, France led by 16 points to nil because Yachvili failed, again, to kick the conversion. The first half was very difficult for England.

The second half was totally different from the first minute. The men of Martin Johnson came back on the field with a different spirit. Indeed, Ben Foden scored the first points for England with a try (54e), converted by Jonny Wilkinson in his last match with England. This conversion was his last points for his country. The French team did not play as they had during the first half of the match and they scored only three points via a drop goal from François Trinh-Duc (73e). Mark Cueto scored a late try (76e) but it was too little too late, the difference being too great between the two rivals. As a symbol, Wilkinson failed the conversion, and France won the quarter-final by 19 points to 12.

References

  1. ↑ The Irish Times, May 27, 1981, page 27.
  2. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/3264435.stm
  3. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/3263021.stm
  4. ↑ http://www.rugby-world-cup.net/results.php
  5. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7030471.stm
  6. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7043225.stm
  7. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7043535.stm
  8. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7043591.stm
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