Stade scrum-half Noel Oelschig’s 77th-minute drop goal secured a share of the points for the visitors.

But Wilkinson, who has been ravaged by injury problems over the past six years, was happy with how things went on a personal level.

“I felt good physically and it was important for me to play 80 minutes,” the 30-year-old told www.lequipe.fr.

“I scored 17 points, but the most important thing was that we didn’t win.

“But the atmosphere was incredible. At one moment, I had just kicked a penalty and I asked myself what had happened in the stadium such was the noise.

“I hope that there will be a lot more moments like this.”

Three other England internationals - Tom May, James Haskell and Tom Palmer - featured in the match.

Stade flanker Haskell received a yellow card late in the first half for cynically playing the ball on the ground at a ruck.