Stuart Lancaster says last year's Six Nations defeat to France still "burns" as England prepare for a title-deciding showdown with Les Bleus on Saturday.

France edged England 26-24 on the opening day of last season's campaign - a result that eventually cost Lancaster's men the title.

Saturday's final fixtures are staggered throughout the day, with Wales taking on Italy in Rome before attention turns to Edinburgh where Ireland will launch their last attempt at defending their title.

The schedule means England will then know exactly what they must do against France to end a sequence of three successive runners-up finishes, but Lancaster insists that their priority must simply be winning the game.

"The key decision-makers will be aware what the permutations are and they will make decisions as the game unfolds," Lancaster said.

"In terms of the scoreline, if we start obsessing about that then we're not going to win the game - that's the long and short of it.

"We want to get the crowd behind us. We want to play some decent rugby and we want to have a nice dry day.

"I know exactly what France can do. The only defeat we had last year was by France and that burns in my mind more than anything else. I will be reminding the players about that."

The 5pm kick-off at Twickenham presents its own challenges as England's squad while away the hours in anticipation of one of the biggest matches of their careers, and Lancaster has his own way of dealing with the pressure.

"I just go on long walks. As a coach you are aware of the messages that you give because the players will intuitively feed off your mood and what you are saying," he said.

"There is a well-trodden path around Virginia Water. I have done about 25 laps of that during the Six Nations. That is how I relax."

France edged a tense affair at the Stade de France last time out © Getty Images

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