England demolish France

England scored 12 tries in a 66-12 display of exciting footy over France in their mid-season international in Paris on Saturday.

English coach Tony Smith was looking for a form reversal after England's dismal World Cup display, and siezed the opportunity to field a young side full of in-form players for a match with the under-strength French.

England's young players grabbed the chance to perform with 19-year-old Salford scrum-half Richie Myler claiming a hat-trick of tries, with the others coming from Michael Shenton, Danny McGuire, Peter Fox (2), Ryan Hall, Shaun Briscoe (2), James Roby and Sam Burgess.

9 conversions later,Myler took his haul for the evening to 30 points, six of those coming before half time which England went into 44-0 up.

France, coached by Great Britain scrum-half Bobbie Goulding, were embarrassed in the first half but improved after the break, with Jean-Philippe Baile and Cyrille Gossard getting their tries and Thomas Bosc booting two conversions.

Goulding was missing seven key players - including Dimitri Pelo, vice-captain Olivier Elima and big forward Jamal Fakir - and Les Tricolores were coming off a World Cup campaign that saw them pick up the dreaded wooden spoon.

Their last victory over England came in 1981, but it was clear from the start that Smith had nothing to worry about.