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Anthony Watson’s two tries ensured England enjoyed a 19-14 victory over France to start their Rugby World Cup warm-up campaign on a positive note.
The Bath wing flew over for his brace in the first half and Jonny May added another in the second period as Stuart Lancaster’s men just managed to hold off a brave effort from the visitors.
Home supporters would have arrived hoping to witness a repeat of last March’s thrilling 55-35 win which saw England triumph over their French rivals in the Six Nations.
It was just a try too little to lift the Six Nations title, which Ireland won, but it showed England could play attacking, try-scoring rugby when they put their minds to it.

France’s players, at least those who played in that game, would have been motivated to put the record straight while also throw down their own World Cup gauntlet with the competition getting under way on September 18.
But with World Cup places on the line it was always going to be a night when tension and nerves, plus a little rustiness, would show through.
“It’s good to start the three warm-up games with a win, especially at Twickenham,” said England skipper Tom Wood.
“We knew France would come looking to give us plenty of problems and it was as tough as I thought it would be.”
France were led by hooker Dmitri Szarzewski, who missed the Six Nations, winning his 80th cap while scrum-half Morgan Parra and fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc renewed their half-back partnership.England led 12-9 at the break but it was the visitors who made the stronger, more positive beginning, pushing their opponents on the defensive and threatening to strike the first blow.
They almost made a flying start when centre Brice Dulin raced on to a kick through, and sprinted for the ball with left-wing May.
Dulin just failed to get his hand on the ball as it bounced across the dead-ball line and the chance went awry.
We knew France would come looking to give us plenty of problems and it was as tough as I thought it would be
England captain Tom Wood
But the pressure still paid off when Parra made England pay with a penalty.
Ex-rugby league man Sam Burgess, making his debut at inside centre, failed to roll away after a tackle and Parra slotted his kick with ease.
Yet, it took just England’s first assault on the French line for the hosts to get the Twickenham supporters on their feet with a try in the corner.
Watson shrugged off Dulin’s attempted tackle far too easily, stepped down the flank and dived over. Owen Farrell converted for a 7-3 lead.
France had hardly got their breath back when England surged down the right wing again and the impressive Watson took another pass in his stride, and finished with ease in the corner without a defensive hand touching him.Burgess then made a hefty hit on opposite number Alexandre Dumoulin which caused the Frenchman to drop the ball.
Parra gave France a lift by kicking a second penalty when England were guilty of standing up in a scrum under pressure.
Powerful Louis Picamoles produced a fine sidestep to waltz passed England prop Mako Vunipola and surge downfield putting his side on the attack.
And another outstanding French scrum allowed Parra to send his third penalty sailing through the posts.
Burgess was sent to the sin-bin for deliberately obstructing Parra as the French scrum-half tried to take a quick-tap penalty.England raced out of the blocks at the start of the second half and a sublime high cross-kick from Alex Goode was inch-perfect for May to chase, catch and touch down for his side’s third try. Farrell added the extras.
A yellow card for flanker Calum Clark, who grabbed replacement France hooker Guilhem Guirado around the neck and was guilty of clearing dangerously from a ruck, saw England reduced to 14 men again.
The French took full advantage as their pack took command and helped stage a fightback with flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo bull-dozing his way over at the bottom of a driving maul.
“We are disappointed because we came here to win. We had our chances and we had a lot of pressure on their line. But we did not finish them off as well as we should have,” Ouedraogo said.
The two sides meet again in Paris next Saturday.


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Rugby World Cup 2015

England edge France 19-14 in tense World Cup warm-up at Twickenham

England winger Jonny May misses a try-scoring opportunity during a Rugby World Cup warm-up match against France on Saturday at Twickenham. Photo: AFP

Scott Spedding of France (right) pushes off a tackle by England's Billy Twelvetrees during a nervy encounter in London. Photo: AP

England centre Sam Burgess (right) tackles France number eight Louis Picamoles. Photo: AFP

The cross-Channel rivals will meet again next Saturday in Paris. Photo: AP

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Rugby

Anthony Watson’s two tries ensured England enjoyed a 19-14 victory over France to start their Rugby World Cup warm-up campaign on a positive note.


England edge France 19-14 in tense World Cup warm-up at Twickenham

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Anthony Watson’s two tries ensured England enjoyed a 19-14 victory over France to start their Rugby World Cup warm-up campaign on a positive note.

Anthony Watson’s two tries ensured England enjoyed a 19-14 victory over France to start their Rugby World Cup warm-up campaign on a positive note.