England: Steve Borthwick admits 'big gap' to top teams after France humiliation

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England caput manager Steve Borthwick conceded "there is simply a large spread betwixt america and the apical teams successful the world" aft the humiliating grounds location decision astatine the hands of France.

Borthwick saw his broadside demolished 53-10 - their third-biggest decision ever and their largest astatine Twickenham.

"We got exposed today," said Borthwick.

"I thought we would get a measurement of wherever we are at, and determination is simply a large gap. We recognize wherever we are and what we person to do."

Borthwick's pre-match determination to driblet skipper Owen Farrell for Marcus Smith came undone arsenic a ruthless France ran successful 7 tries to brutally exposure the chasm successful class.

Aside from a little spell astatine the commencement of the 2nd half, erstwhile Freddie Steward's effort gave England anticipation of a comeback, the hosts were utterly outplayed.

With 13 handling errors and 26 missed tackles, Borthwick has plentifulness to enactment connected earlier his broadside conscionable title-chasing Ireland adjacent weekend.

"Certainly you person to springiness immense recognition to France and they are intelligibly a world-class team," helium added.

"We mislaid collisions crossed some lines - onslaught and defence. We knew they person immense powerfulness and unluckily we didn't woody with it. When we attacked, they were capable to dominate."

England person present won 2 and mislaid 2 this Six Nations - they bushed Italy and Wales aft losing to Scotland astatine Twickenham successful the opening round
This is the archetypal Six Nations run successful which England person mislaid 2 location matches

'One of our worst performances' - Genge

Prop guardant Ellis Genge was named skipper successful Farrell's lack and called the miserable show "a spot of a mystery".

England really spent much clip than France successful the absorption half, but lacked creativity and were exposed clip and again by France's kicking crippled and velocity of thought successful the 22.

Genge told ITV: "I americium not going to sweetener overgarment it. That is 1 of our worst performances and we were punished galore times.

"We asked the boys to support warring and I deliberation for 80% of it we were fighting.

"The momentum, it was against america for excessively long, we didn't claw it back. I americium not hiding distant from it, we were good beaten today.

"France are brilliant, they person shown clip and clip again wherefore they are the fig 2 squad successful the world. We are mode disconnected wherever we privation to be."

England's grounds decision is simply a 76-0 nonaccomplishment against Australia successful Brisbane successful June 1998, but Clive Woodward's broadside were missing respective cardinal players and had 5 debutants successful an inexperienced line-up that featured 19-year-old fly-half Jonny Wilkinson

'Players wanted to enactment successful a large game' - Galthie

France caput manager Fabien Galthie was delighted by a triumph that gives his broadside anticipation of retaining their rubric heading into the last round.

France, who look Wales successful Paris connected Saturday, had not triumph astatine Twickenham successful the Six Nations since 2005.

"I've been coming to Twickenham for a agelong portion - 20 years. It's emotional," said Galthie.

"We've not been satisfied by our Six Nations. We wanted to bash thing here. The players wanted to enactment successful a large crippled against England."

France squad manager Raphael Ibanez added: "It was a magnificent performance. Playing astatine Twickenham and winning that mode conscionable shows the prime we person successful our side.

"It is astir apt the champion triumph distant from location successful French rugby history."

France determination into 2nd successful the Six Nations standings with leaders Ireland acceptable to play third-placed Scotland connected Sunday. England are 4th aft suffering their 2nd defeat

'A horrible experience' - analysis

Former England fly-half Paul Grayson connected the Rugby Union Daily podcast: "It's achy for the England players and staff. They are quality beings. They indispensable consciousness awful.

"No-one ever wants to beryllium successful the worst-ever location defeat. That is not 1 of the things you enactment successful your trophy cabinet. It's a horrible acquisition for them close now.

"I get the consciousness that arsenic overmuch arsenic they are talking themselves into a headspace that's the close spot to be, it is intelligibly obscurity adjacent it.

"France were capable to attain that level of ferocity, emotion, hunger and aggression but with subject and accuracy and thoughtfulness and each the bully things.

"England came retired contiguous and said 'oh no, this is rather difficult, and determination is thing we tin bash astir it'."