The second half started in much the same vein, with both sides struggling to make it past the initial phases. Adabie missed her second penalty kick of the night to keep England within one converted try.

It wasn’t until the 55^th minute when a try was scored, outside-centre Elodie Poublan creeping down the blind after a dominant forward effort put France in position. Adabie missed the conversion, putting the home side ahead by 11.

Determined to get on the scoreboard, England opted for the uprights after their earlier efforts at the lineout were overturned by France. Lining up for her first kick off the game, Lauren Cattell sent the ball wide.

England tried every which way to break through the French defensive line in the final exchanges, switching from forward power to pace out wide. With France down to 13-women after Publan was shown yellow for killing the ball, England had the numbers to capitalise but excellent cover defence from the home-side kept them on the wrong side of the whitewash, with the final whistle sounding.

England Women

Sarah Mckenna; Katie Mason, Lauren Cattell, Ceri Large, Charlotte Clapp; Emily Scott, Leanne Riley; Rochelle Clarke, Amy Cokayne, Laura Keates, Tamara Taylor, Abbie Scott, Hannah Gallagher, Marlie Packer, Sarah Hunter (C)

Replacements: Vickii Cornborough, Emma Croker, Justine Lucas , Harriet Millar-Mills, Izzy Noel-Smith, Latoya Mason, Rachel Lund, Ruth Laybourn

France Women

Julie Billes; Céline Heguy, Elodie Poublan , Lucille Godiveau , Marion Lievre; Audrey Abadie , Yanna Rivoalen; Julie Duval, Gaëlle Mignot , Patricia Carricaburu, Audrey Forlani, Marine De Nadaï, Romane Menager, Laetitia Grand, Safi N’diaye

Replacements: Agathe Sochat , Lise Arricastre , Céline Ferer ,  Coumba Tombe Diallo, Pauline Bourdon, Carla Neissen, Caroline Boujard , Amaya Gonzalez

Scoring: 2P, 1T