England lose unbeaten record

France 17 England 16

England’s long unbeaten record came to an end at the Stade Velodrome tonight as World Cup warm-up opponents France edged a tense encounter in front of 60,000 vociferous fans.

Clive Woodward’s men were chasing their 15th successive Test match victory – a sequence stretching back to March last year after France beat them in Paris - but it was not to be.

Bath centre Mike Tindall scored a first-half try and fly-half Paul Grayson kicked 11 points, but the Northampton playmaker failed with two injury time drop-goal attempts and France held on.

Full-back Nicolas Brusque claimed the solitary French try, and there were three penalties and a drop-goal from fly-half Frederic Michalak.

England though, who rested several key personnel – including Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill and Jonny Wilkinson – have a chance for revenge when the countries clash at Twickenham next Saturday.

And in terms of the forthcoming World Cup, England would appear to have little to worry about from their prospective semi-final opponents.

While England had top men missing, France were virtually at full-strength, something that said everything about the depth at Woodward’s disposal.

But England will still feel frustrated at conceding second-best on a ground where France have never lost.

It was England’s first visit to Marseille, and with the announcement of Woodward’s 30-man World Cup squad only nine days away, it gave him an ideal opportunity to assess candidates such as Iain Balshaw, Austin Healey, Ollie Smith and Grayson.

Balshaw and Healey found themselves back in an England side following prolonged injury problems last season, while Leicester centre Smith made his full Test debut and fly-half Grayson returned for a first start since the 1999 World Cup.

England, who were predictably greeted by a chorus of whistles and boos, took the field in a new tight-fitting kit with round collars, which represented a considerable departure from previous Test match apparel.

France were similarly attired, but with the fashion show over, battle commenced, and England made a sloppy start when lock Danny Grewcock dropped kick-off possession under no real pressure.

England could not clear their lines, and after a Martin Corry infringement, fly-half Frederic Michalak booted France into a 3-0 lead inside two minutes.

Grayson’s first kick sailed straight into touch, but England showed signs of settling through a crunching Smith tackle that secured a scrum put-in.

There was no love lost during the early exchanges, flanker Olivier Magne appearing particularly heated, but Grayson, after missing a drop-goal attempt, rifled over an equalising penalty prior to a bloodied Ben Cohen’s departure.

England’s presence was underlined on 19 minutes, when they cut the French defence open in devastating fashion from set-piece possession.

The ball was quickly moved out to midfield, where Tindall chanced his arm by taking on his opposite numbers, but he smashed through for a superb solo try that temporarily silenced a vociferous home crowd.

Grayson slotted the conversion, and England looked to have scored again six minutes later after Michalak missed a penalty.

Flanker Lewis Moody galloped into space inside the French 22, and found the supporting Sanderson inside.

When possession was recycled, Grayson’s deft chip ahead found Balshaw, who gathered and touched down.

South African referee Mark Lawrence had other ideas though, ruling that Balshaw was in front of the kicker, and he disallowed the try for offside.

French skipper Fabien Galthie tried to spark his side into action, and a Michalak drop-goal six minutes before the break made it 10-6, the score arriving at a time when France needed inspiration.

And it gave them the platform to try something more adventurous, leaving England floundering.

Galthie robbed Healey of possession at the scrum-base, and Magne appeared in midfield, linking superbly with centre Yannick Jauzion and creating space for Brusque to power over wide out.

Michalak missed the touchline conversion, but he was hardly helped by a member of England’s touchline team inexplicably running between player and ball as Michalak began his run-up.

Number eight Alex Sanderson almost put England back in front, charging down Brusque’s attempted defensive clearance. There was a lengthy delay while referee Lawrence consulted with the video official, but he rightly ruled that Sanderson had not grounded possession.

Grayson edged England 13-11 ahead with a 44th-minute penalty, only to see Michalak restore the French advantage through his second penalty from four attempts.

England benefited from a video referee’s ruling within two minutes of the restart, when Brusque was adjudged not to have gathered Jauzion’s excellent kick into space that wrong-footed the England defence.

England needed to re-assert themselves – and quell the increasing menace of Galthie – and they were relieved when a 48th-minute Michalak drop-goal attempt drifted wide.

West’s stint as skipper lasted just two further minutes, the Tigers forward being replaced by Steve Thompson as England sought some fresh impetus up-front.

England had been on the back-foot either side of half-time, but a sharp break by Smith livened things up, and Balshaw only narrowly failed to gather a kick that bounced well inside the French 22.

Much of the early zip from both sides though, had disappeared, and Balshaw’s latest injury forced him off after 55 minutes, to be replaced by Newcastle back Jamie Noon.

After Grayson hoisted England 16-14 ahead through a 60th-minute penalty, Woodward made a double substitution, sending on lock Simon Shaw for Steve Borthwick and replacing prop Graham Rowntree with Jason Leonard.

But another Michalak penalty – his third – meant that the lead changed hands for a sixth time, edging France 17-16 in front with 15 minutes of normal time remaining.

England suffered another injury setback on 76 minutes when Tindall limped off. Andy Gomarsall replaced him, meaning a switch to the wing for Healey.

Ultimately, it was not England’s night, and their 18-month winning sequence came to a somewhat low-key end after Liebenberg charged down a last-gasp Grayson drop-goal attempt and then Grayson rifled another kick narrowly wide.