The young side did score two tries through Kay Wilson and Hannah Gallagher while the boot of Amber Reed added ten points but they were unable to match the visitors’ impressive five-try display.

And after seeing his side fall to their first-ever loss at Twickenham Street admitted that their Championship challenge was hanging by the thinnest of threads.

“We just made too many mistakes but we are not going to feel sorry for ourselves,” he said.

“We need to improve and we will come back fighting. All credit to France, they are a good side – potential World Cup winners – and they deserved this win.

“The Six Nations Championship title is slipping away but you have to be realistic because one team can’t win it every year.

“We knew this would be our toughest season ever in the Six Nations and the last two games have underlined that.”