Wilkinson - record-breaking England star. (Allsport)
RECORD REWARD FOR HERO WILKINSON
It should have been the coronation of the 2001 kings but the crown will have to wait.
Saturday belonged to Jonny Wilkinson.
His first-half penalty at Twickenham not only reduced France's interval advantage to 16-13 but it also carried him beyond Rob Andrew's career mark of 396 points.
He is now the most prolific international scorer England has ever produced.
His Six Nations statistics make incredible reading.
In four games he has posted a tournament record of 80 points and while the horrendous ravages of foot and mouth disease mean he and his team-mates cannot call themselves champions until an autumn meeting with Ireland, he has lit up the dark winter.
Wilkinson offers far more than a prodigious left-boot and is undoubtedly a far better all-round player than his mentor Andrew.
He is capable of stunning hits in defence, has a varied passing game and can make incisive breaks.
He is the fly-half England had been desperately seeking for almost a decade.
Against France he was tested for the first time in the tournament but played a central role as Clive Woodward's side recovered from a first-half wobble.
For 40 minutes France were the better side.
They returned to type and found space down both flanks with stunning inter-passing.
Only two great tackles from Iain Balshaw and marginal decisions by the video referee kept England within touching distance.
In an interview last week Dave Ellis, a member of the French coaching team, revealed they had identified areas to attack England out wide.
It worked a treat and sounded a timely warning.
As impressive as Woodward's troops have been, there remain areas to work on.
Phil Larder, who like Ellis made his name in the 13-a-side code, will be looking to repair the damage before the quest for world domination continues.
The second-half proved there is little wrong with the side going forward.
The truncated nature of the 2001 Six Nations means we still don't know who will lift the title.
We do know who the star of the tournament is.
Jonny Wilkonson - record breaker.
What do you think of Jonny's achievement?
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