Injured Jonny Wilkinsons replacement Toby Flood amassed 16 points, including a try, before going off injured and leaving the stage to his replacement Shane Geraghty.

Geraghty slotted a penalty and conversion, but his mesmeric midfield break decided the contest as he created Englands winning try for centre Mike Tindall.

The victory - Englands first against France since their 2003 World Cup semi-final triumph in Sydney - means they can still secure RBS 6 Nations silverware through beating Millennium Stadium hosts Wales next Saturday.

Points difference looks likely to decide the trophys destiny - and England are trailing France and Ireland in that capacity - but in terms of confidence, the win will have worked wonders.

It was easily the best performance of head coach Brian Ashtons four-Test reign, and means England will start as firm favourites to inflict an embarrassing RBS 6 Nations whitewash on hapless Wales in Cardiff next weekend.

Flanker Tom Rees was a deserved man-of-the-match recipient, yet England, generally, played with so much purpose and composure, they thoroughly deserved to take the spoils.

They kept France tryless - David Skrela and Dimitri Yachvili kicked three penalties each for Les Bleus - and there could be few complaints about the result.

England, showing 11 changes from the side thumped in record RBS 6 Nations fashion by Ireland two weeks ago, fell behind inside four minutes when fly-half Skrela landed a 45-metre penalty.

Flood tied things up with his first kick at goal five minutes later, but Skrela ensured he kept France ticking over through two further strikes during a seven-minute spell.

Floods second successful penalty brought England back to 9-6, yet scrum-half Yachvili - who had scored 53 of Frances 73 points during their three successive wins against the world champions - slotted a penalty before the break.

Flood matched that strike, showing considerable composure amid the heat of battle, and England trooped off 12-9 adrift at half-time.

Quick ball was the order of the day in the second period as France retreated deep inside their own 22, and when scrum-half Harry Ellis shipped possession Mike Catts searing outside break and offload in the tackle created enough space for Flood to touch down unopposed.

Flood added the extras, giving him all 16 of Englands points, but Yachvili landed a 53rd-minute penalty to take France back to within one point.

Yachvili emulated Skrela, who had limped off, in completing a penalty hat-trick when Tindall drifted offside, and France led 18-16 as Flood limped off to be replaced by 20-year-old debutant Geraghty.

Dave Strettle remained a major problem for France, running aggressively and decisively whenever possession arrived on his wing, and his pace created the position from which England edged ahead through 15-metre Geraghty penalty.

Geraghty, full of youthful promise, left an indelible mark on the game seven minutes from time when his brilliant midfield surge shredded the French defence.

Although his inside pass eluded the supporting Catt, Tindall was on hand to collect possession and claim his 13th Test try in 53 games.

Geraghty added the simple conversion, and France had it all to do, but they encountered an England defence supremely organised that made its first-up tackles count.