Sunday 2 February 2020 23:13, UK
France No 8 Gregory Alldritt said England paid the price for Eddie Jones' pre-match promise of delivering "brutal physicality" in their Six Nations opener in Paris.
Jones' rousing words backfired badly as Les Bleus weathered a second-half comeback from England to claim a 24-17 victory.
England were outfought in the collisions and Alldritt revealed Jones' words were used as motivation by France.
"Eddie was saying that we couldn't manage the brutality of the England team," the man of the match said.
"But when you are a winner, a competitor, you just want to show him that you can manage that.
"Of course we read it. We were clearly going to put some fighting spirit out there."
Alldritt also praised the difference made by Shaun Edwards, France's new defence coach, who helped shape the hosts' more physical approach to the game.
"Shaun is a tough guy and he always wants aggression from you, in every bit of work and in every tackle," added Alldritt.
"He wants big tackles. And speed in the tackle. He is bringing a lot of experience to us at international level and a lot of competence too."
Jonny May scored two outstanding solo tries to propel England back into contention when they appeared to be fighting a lost cause, but he was also partly responsible for France's second.
May stopped playing in order to appeal to referee Nigel Owens as he believed the ball had been knocked-on by France in the build-up to Charles Ollivon's 20th-minute touchdown.
While he was protesting, France played on and it was a costly error for which May accepts blame, although he thought Owens had blown the whistle at a noisy Stade de France.
"That's one of the first things you learn as a kid isn't it - play to the whistle. And I didn't, so I'll own that one," May said.
"But what I saw is that it hit his hand and then somebody in front of him caught it, and Nigel did go to blow his whistle. But I own that. Play to the whistle."
