Rugby Union: 'The last quarter of an hour was an eternity': Twickenham's protagonists have their say

WILL CARLING (England captain): We weren't as fluid as we have been and we were making far too many mistakes. Dropping passes and spilling the ball - it wasn't like us. We didn't keep any pressure on their 22 for any length of time and consequently couldn't amass any points. In the end, I have to be delighted we came away with a win. We battled all the way down to the line.

I was very pleased that after the first quarter we allowed France only one score - the second-half penalty. The wind was even harder than normal to judge at Twickenham. It was gusting and we simply didn't know when it would gust. I'm not accepting the description 'soft tries' by Saint-Andre. He scored from good kicks and we did not have enough people back there.

There was a huge weight of expectation on us before this match. Now that we have beaten the French again, the expectation is heavier.

IAN HUNTER (England try-scorer): I can't believe it, really. I was told to close up on the kicks because normally I hang back. Jon skewed it off the upright. It bounced down and straight into may arms. I couldn't fail to score. That's very nice.

MARTIN JOHNSON (11th-hour replacement for injured lock Wade Dooley): I just wanted to fit in as best I could and do a job for England. The whole thing was 200 per cent faster and more physical than anything I've encountered before. If Wade is fit (for England's next match, against Wales), I expect him to be picked. I'll probably watch the boys at home on the telly, and I'll be willing them on.

WADE DOOLEY (injured England lock): I'm pleased for Martin. He had a slow start, but in the second half he did well and took some good ball in the line-out. I think he did a good job for us out there. Martin showed today that we've got strength in depth. No one can be assured of their place.

DICK BEST (England coach): It was a very difficult game for Martin We had time for only one session with him in a school gym. But I was delighted with his game. The line-out was very productive in the second half when we finished stronger and our fitness showed.

BRIAN MOORE (England pack leader): The last quarter of an hour was an eternity. To win after starting apallingly and giving away 12 points which we shouldn't have done really meant a lot to us.

GEOFF COOKE (England manager): We are hardly ecstatic. We are relieved that we have got the win, despite making more errors in one game than in a season. We are disappointed with the error-count, especially in dealing with their kicks. We virtually gave them 12 points, and we had to work very hard. But when a team is in a run of success they don't get too rattled. We took one or two wrong options, especially when players were isolated behind colleagues.

But France are a fine side with a lot of talented players. We have watched our mistakes and our scores for just this 80 minutes and we will do a full analysis in the next couple of weeks before we sort ourselves out to play Wales.

JEAN-FRANCOIS TORDO (French captain): We played a good match and we put our hearts into the job. It's true we gave away some points but that's always been the French problem. We've still got work to do. We know it and we're not hiding from it.

PHILIPPE SAINT-ANDRE (double try-scorer for France): The French team has restored some pride.

PIERRE BERBIZIER (French coach): We are making progress at Twickenham. Two years ago we lost by two points. Now England defeated us by one point] We scored one more try than the English and if the crossbar had been one inch lower when Lafond hit that drop kick, that difference would have suited us.

Taking drop kicks showed how much we were dominating territorially. We almost won our race against time. Two months ago there was no comparison between the teams. Now we are single-point losers.