7 Oct 2011

Different mindset against France, says Flood

7:00 am on 7 October 2011

England's Toby Flood says his side was subconsciously hampered against Scotland because they knew they could lose and still qualify for the World Cup quarter-finals and will face France with a far more positive mindset from the start.

The 2003 champions had the luxury of knowing a narrow defeat would still have sent them into their preferred quarter-final but, after briefly trailing by a margin that would have knocked them out, they fought back with a late Chris Ashton try to win 16-12.

England recognise that they handed the initiative to the Scots and Flood says it didn't help going into the game with the mindset that if they lost by eight they were out.

He says England need to blitz France from the first whistle.