A resounding humiliation. The “Crunch” between France and England in the Six Nations Tournament gave birth to a monumental slap on Saturday on the lawn of Twickenham. In this symbolic match, which convenes Agincourt or Waterloo each year (on the other side of the Channel), the Blues offered themselves the biggest victory in their history against the XV of the Rose (10-53). Because there are no small pleasures and we can’t even split the proverbial sorry, good game after such a knockdown, here are five figures to measure the extent of the rouste.
43
Like the number of points that separates the English from the French at the end of the match, the best difference in favor of the XV of France in a match between the two nations. Until then, it was 25 points, in 1972 in Colombes (37-12) and in 2006 at the Stade de France (31-6). But also the best difference between the two nations, since the best gap in favor of the English is +37 points. A secular record since it was obtained at Twickenham on January 28… 1911 (37-0).
3
Like the rank of the blue victory in the classification of the roustes suffered by the XV of the Rose. Saturday’s defeat is indeed the third heaviest in its entire history, behind two knockdowns in South Africa (58-10) in 2007 and Australia (76-0) in 1998.
7
Like the number of tries scored by the XV of France on Saturday, which the Blues had never succeeded against the English. The previous record was six tries at XV de la Rose: first on April 18, 1970 (35-13) then on February 26, 1972 (36-12), in two matches played at the Yves-du-Manoir stadium in Doves and counting for the Five Nations Tournament. Fair play obliges us to recall that the English record is also seven tries scored against France, in a victory (55-35) obtained on March 21, 2015 in London. This match of the Six Nations Tournament also marks the record for points scored by the English against the French, two units higher than that obtained in mirror on Saturday by the Blues.
51
Like the biggest gap inflicted by the Blues on a great rugby nation. Just after the final whistle, the team looked at the biggest victories in the history of the XV of France against the best nations of rugby. And it appears that it was against Wales that France was most unleashed, during the 1998 Five Nations Tournament, with a slap 0-51. Huge ! But the 43 points passed by England are placed on the second step of the podium, just above the 42 points given to Scotland during the 2003 World Cup in Australia (51-9).
8
Like the number of players from the French team who carried the ball more than 40 meters during Saturday’s match (Ramos: 96 m, Penaud: 87 m, Fickou: 41 m, Dumortier: 50 m, Dupont: 46 m, Flament: 48 m, Ollivon: 60 m, Alldritt: 93 m). It’s there again the team who teaches us and that says a lot, beyond the result, of the way in which the victory was obtained. In particular by great cavalcades in the middle of a gaping English defense. In the same way, the sports daily notes that the French have succeeded in crossing the English line 9 times against only one for the XV de la Rose. It stings !