And fly-half Jonny Wilkinson was in world record-breaking form, slotting his 29th Test drop-goal as part of a 14-point haul.

Wilkinson also booted three penalties and a conversion of wing Paul Sackey's early try as England dashed French Grand Slam hopes to leave Wales leading the championship, while scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth claimed a late try.

France captain Lionel Nallet scored a first-half try, while centre Damien Traille kicked a conversion, 19-year-old scrum-half Morgan Parra and his replacement Dimitri Yachvili landed penalties, but England rarely lost control of the contest as they repeated their World Cup semi-final victory over Les Bleus last October.

England made a fantastic start when centre Jamie Noon blasted Cedric Heymans backwards through a crunching midfield tackle, and when the ball bounced loose, Sackey reacted rapidly, hacking clear and then winning the race to score. Wilkinson landed the conversion.

It was impressive rugby by the visitors, and Wilkinson extended their lead on 14 minutes through an angled penalty before France centre Damien Traille missed a 35-metre penalty chance.

England, though, suffered an injury blow on 21 minutes when flanker James Haskell, who had earlier suffered an ankle knock, departed to be replaced by Leicester's Tom Croft who made his Test debut

And France, although it took them 25 minutes to stir, slashed England's lead through a close-range try for Nallet that Traille converted.

If England needed a warning, then Nallet's touchdown provided it, but a second Wilkinson penalty made it 13-7 as the World Cup finalists once again assumed first-half control.

Traille though, missed a second penalty chance, and England closed the half out competently, preserving their six-point lead.

England were forced into defensive mode early in the second half, but France hooker Dimitri Szarzewski blew a promising attacking position when he was penalised for an offence on opposite number Mark Regan.

Wilkinson cleared the danger, and England could breathe again, despite France looking at their most threatening.

Regan, though, had lost his discipline, conceding a penalty that Parra - preferred to Traille - landed.

England remained lively at close quarters, where open-side flanker Michael Lipman was a consistent presence, yet their cause was not helped by Wilkinson sending a 40-metre penalty narrowly wide.

Wilkinson missed another penalty on 58 minutes from almost an identical position, but England started to enjoy a degree of territorial control.

Parra's clever kick, aimed for Aurelien Rougerie, pinned England inside their own 22 before wing Lesley Vainikolo led a breakout that concluded with France being penalised on halfway.

Wilkinson then slotted a drop-goal and the fly-half completed his penalty hat-trick to make it 19-10.

Yachvili narrowed the deficit by booting a penalty six minutes from time, which was the cue for France to try and attack from deep.

England knew they had to close the game out, and they forced an attacking scrum from which Wigglesworth rounded off incessant pressure to claim a clinching try.