When two great teams collide, the result sometimes can be underwhelming.

But when France and England – the Northern Hemisphere’s two premium outfits – met in the second round of fixtures at the 2022 Women’s Rugby World Cup, the outcome was fierce, fiery and tense right to the end.

In their previous five meetings, fewer than nine points have separated the pair. That trend continued Saturday, as the Red Roses emerged narrow victors, clinching the contest 13-7.

Last week, England surged to a second half demolition of tournament newcomer Fiji, scoring 14 tries in total. Any hope of fortunes repeating quickly dissipated, as the imperious French defense stood firm in the face of its opponents’ attacking creativity.

Right from the off, trusty aspects of the English game faltered. The driving maul, so often used as a springboard for forward momentum, was stifled, forcing flanker Marlie Packer to ship the ball away from the set piece.

Nerves soon began to show. Indeed, players from both teams made routine errors under the high ball, which meant neither could truly grasp the game in the early exchanges.

Then England began to settle and used the size and power of its pack to build a platform from which to attack.

Big carries from blind side flanker Alex Matthews pushed the Red Roses closer to the French line, and the long-awaited breach came when veteran Emily Scarratt crashed over from close range to claim first blood.

The outside center converted her own try and landed another penalty before the close of the half to give her nation a 10-point cushion heading into the break.

Neither team would have been happy with how things stood. France was without a point, and England had struggled to take charge of the contest.

Little changed when the teams returned pitch-side.

The French blue wall appeared once more, and England had no answer. Fly-half Zoe Harrison, in search of some invention, tried poking the ball over the defensive line, which brought territory and little else.

Meanwhile, French outside center Maëlle Filopon proved a nuisance by dictating the defense, and she even managed at one stage to strip the ball to further deepen English woes.

Scarratt did land another penalty to extend her team’s lead, but it looked less than convincing.

Slowly, the crowd could see the pendulum shifting in favor of the French. The watershed moment came when Hannah Botterman gave away a penalty for a side entry in the ruck.

Fly-half Caroline Drouin sprang into action, claiming possession, before launching a pinpoint chip, which was taken by Joanna Grisez. The winger rode four tackles, before offloading to replacement No. 8 Gaelle Hermet, who jubilantly crossed the whitewash.

Six points now separated the sides, and England looked flustered. Decoy lines were predictable and decision making began to crumble. Phase after phase the Red Roses tried to breach the blue obelisk, and each time the French stood firm.

Fortunately for England head coach Simon Middleton, France was unable to add to its points tally come the final whistle. As the referee called time, England players retreated scathed, soberly aware they will need to perform better if they are to take home international rugby’s top prize.

“First and foremost, hats off to France,” Middleton said. “We had them under a lot of pressure in that match... immensely proud of the team. There was definitely a bit missing from our finishing. They are so never say die.”

Despite the struggles, Middleton was proud of how his team held strong.

“It turned into an absolute arm wrestle,” he added. “We showed great composure at the end, we won the kicking battle for territory and we ran the game down in the last five to ten minutes. We will have a few days off for a start. They will be able to put their feet up a bit. There are some players who deserve some game time.”

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— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) October 15, 2022

England’s winning run now extends to 27 games, an extraordinary achievement, all things considered. But for England captain Sarah Hunter, the win bore added value.

The No. 8 became the joint most-capped English player ever, reaching the 137 milestone, alongside former prop Rocky Clark.

She spoke of being “immensely proud” of the moment ahead of the fixture, but was characteristically professional after the game, praising the fight of the French.

“We know the encounters between us and France, they come down to tight scores,” Hunter said. “Tonight was no different, they’re a very good side. I hope it was a great showcase for women's rugby. It shows the emotion of what it means for everyone out there. Games can get heated at times.

“It's very special, but tonight was all about the team and getting the win over France, that is as much to me as the record. Rocky is a legend of the game, and to be held in the esteem as her [is amazing].”

France by comparison will feel maligned after falling to English by such a small margin, yet again.

The result also will put head coach Thomas Darracq under further pressure, after he was surprisingly appointed to the role at the end of May.

Former France No. 8 Lenaig Corson has said the team looks really messy as a result of the coaching shift.

“It's weird to change the coaching structure very close to the Rugby World Cup,” she said. “It doesn't help the team. You need consistency.”

France will have the opportunity to make amends next Saturday in a meeting with Fiji, while England takes on South Africa on Sunday. 

Written by Stefan Frost