England v France, Six Nations, Twickenham, February 26
Stage set for latest Le Crunch clash
ESPNscrum Staff
February 21, 2011
England's Tom Croft claims a lineout, England v France, Six Nations, Twickenham, England, March 15, 2009
England's Tom Croft claims a lineout during his side's clash with France at Twickenham in 2009 © Getty Images
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Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations
Teams: England | France

England and France will clash for the 94th time when they go head-to-head at Twickenham on Saturday.

England lead the all-time series, that began in 1906, by 50 wins to 36 and the last of the seven draws was in 1985. The highest score in the matches is England's 48-19 win at Twickenham in 2001, though their best winning margin was 37-0 (also at Twickenham) in 1911.

Saturday's game will be France's 43rd visit to Twickenham where they have lost on 26 previous occasions including a humiliating 34-10 defeat on their last visit in 2009. However, they have won 11 times at England's HQ and can also boast a win in their most recent meeting - a 12-10 victory in Paris last year.

France's biggest win came in 1972 when they triumphed 37-12 in the last international staged at the Stade Colombes in Paris and they equalled their best margin in the 31-6 win at Stade de France in 2006.

England scored nine tries in the 1906, 1907 and 1914 matches. France's best return is six: in 1970, 1972 and 1976.

Jonny Wilkinson set the record for most points in a match scoring all of England's in the 24-7 World Cup semi-final win in Sydney in 2003 and overtaking Douglas (nicknamed "Daniel") Lambert, who scored 22 at Twickenham in 1911. Lambert still holds the record for most tries in a match and in the series. He scored five at Richmond in 1907 and eight in three appearances.

The best individual performance for France is 19 points by Dimitri Yachvili at Stade de France in 2004. Michel Crauste, a flanker, scored the only try hat-trick of tries for France in the series, in Paris in 1962. Altogether Crauste scored four tries against England, a French record for the series that he shares with Philippe Sella.

Wilkinson is the leading overall scorer in the series with 156 points for England in twelve appearances between 1999 and 2010. The corresponding record for France belongs to Yachvili who notched up 65 in his six matches from 2003 to 2008.

Jason Leonard holds the appearance record for this fixture: 18 matches between 1991 and 2003. Fabien Pelous played 17 times between 1996 and 2007.

England v France Six Nations results:
2000 France 9-15 England (Paris)
2001 England 48-19 France (Twickenham)
2002 France 20-15 England (Paris)
2003 England 25-17 France (Twickenham)
2004 France 24-21 England (Paris)
2005 England 17-18 France (Twickenham)
2006 France 31-6 England (Paris)
2007 England 26-18 France (Twickenham)
2008 France 13-24 England (Paris)
2009 England 34-10 France (Twickenham)
2010 France 12-10 England (Paris)

  • Click here for England's complete Test record in Statsguru

  • Click here for France's complete Test record in Statsguru

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