The hosts were on top from the off but Henry Slade missed twice after the visitors went off their feet at the breakdown and French scrum-half Baptiste Serin also hooked wide from the tee.

But England earned a penalty and with eight minutes of the first half left Slade got the game's first points to make it 3-0.

Immediately from the restart, the French got level with a penalty of their own. Serin bagged the points but England edged ahead again before half-time, Slade taking the sides in at the interval 6-3.

England came out firing in the second half and scored the first try of the match after three scrum re-sets five metres out from the French line.

The referee lost patience and awarded a penalty try to the home side. With the conversion, it was 13-3.

After a succession of penalties France centre Etienne Dussartre was yellow carded for not rolling away at the tackle and Slade's boot extended the lead to 16-3.

Being a man down galvanised the French and winger Gabriel Lacroix dived over for a try after some good handling by the visitors. Serin's touchline conversion took the score to 16-10.

Clifford got England's next try when he charged over from the back of another dominant scrum. Slade's extras opened up a 13-point gap at 23-10 with 15 minutes left.

England ran riot in the closing minutes and two tries each from winger Purdy and No.8 Clifford ended the game in style as the hosts put their 16-15 defeat at the hands of Ireland firmly behind them.