It was just as well they got the fireworks out the way before the game, because even after an explosive start and some quite extraordinary rugby any hope England had of having something to celebrate had this amazing habit of quickly disappearing here on Saturday night. That opening try from Ben Youngs, scored after less than 90 seconds, invited England and their expectant supporters to dream. From Jeremy Guscott came a gushing, confident response. England would not only win the game, he declared, but they would do so in the style he once displayed on a rugby pitch. It was an understandable reaction but it did not take into account England's ability under Stuart Lancaster to too often blow these opportunities. They should have nailed Scotland last week, as the Irish did at Murrayfield on Saturday, and their failure to do so cost them dear in the end. England captain Chris Robshaw (right) wanders off the Twickenham pitch after his country's win . England lock Courtney Lawes appears dejected as he trudges off the pitch after the final whistle . England's players, including captain Robshaw (right), look dejected after conceding a crucial try to France . If Lancaster likened the challenge his side might be facing on this most absorbing afternoon of international rugby to the Ryder Cup, he no doubt hoped his side would not need to pull off their own Miracle of Medinah. But a 26-point winning advantage against France, even this France, seemed like a pretty tall order and so it proved. No sooner had they secured seven points than they were nursing the bruises of two French tries, Philippe Saint-Andre's side punishing England for a lack of precision as well as patience. A lack of discipline too, summed up by the foolishness of James Haskell in what became an utterly insane try fest. That England then responded the way they did made it a highly entertaining spectacle. The try Youngs scored after 35 minutes was a beauty, the move England put together covering the full length of the Twickenham pitch. Ben Youngs goes over the line to give England an early lead in their must-win Six Nations clash . Leicester Tigers star Youngs jumps for joy after scoring the first try of the match on Saturday evening . France's Sebastien Tillous-Borde responded to Youngs' early try with one of his own after a 40-yard dash . But those early lapses in concentration as they chased that points total were so damaging to England's ambitions of securing a first Six Nations championship under Lancaster, with a 24-point victory still required after more than half an hour and 14 at half-time. Within three minutes of the second half they needed 21. There were moments when they were close. Painfully close. With four minutes remaining they needed just one converted try. But Lancaster will have to reflect on that period of the first half – as well as certain spells after the break - when they allowed France to look like their old selves and examine in detail where improvements still need to be made. With six months remaining until the start of the World Cup, Lancaster is sure to focus on some of the positives too. The fact that they beat Wales in Cardiff and Australia here last autumn certainly bodes well for those group exchanges. As does the emergence of players like Jonathan Joseph and other individual performances. But is this a team that can seriously make the most of home advantage and secure a second World Cup in 12 years? The evidence right now would suggest not, even if the detail in Lancaster's preparation extends to involving the players' partners in trying to win the tournament later this year. Courtney Lawes is grabbed by his shirt as France's players let their frustrations boil over . England's Lawes gets caught up in a scuffle with four France players as tempers flare during the first half . France's Noa Nakaitaci scores a controversial try after getting away from Youngs during the first half . In 2003 England were the complete team. Dominant against their northern hemisphere rivals and quite clearly equipped to conquer all on the opposite side of the world. And they believed it too, with such confidence a crucial quality for any team with serious ambitions. But England in 2015? They can play some wonderful rugby with a nice combination of power and pace. But are they clinical enough? Are they robust enough? And do they really believe that anything is possible? Anything seemed possible here on Saturday in this insane contest; one that saw 12 excellent tries and some marvellous running rugby. Billy Vunipola set the tone with the thumping intervention that led to the opening Youngs try and what followed was a breathless 80 minutes of action to round off a remarkable climax to the championship. The balance of power on the pitch as well as on the final table swung violently. A missed kick from George Ford and a converted kick for the French from Jules Plisson and suddenly the challenge looked all the more insurmountable for England again; and nigh on impossible once an unforced error had invited Sebastian Tillous-Borde to run in a try that knocked the stuffing not only out of England but an expectant, excited Twickenham crowd. England's Jonathan Joseph (centre) is tackled by France duo Maxime Mermoz (left) and Vincent Debaty . Captain Chris Robshaw bursts forward as England chase a big win to beat Ireland to the Six Nations title . Youngs caps a brilliant first-half performance with his second try of the match and England's third . A second French try, one Noa Nakaitaci so nearly contrived to mess up, compounded England's early misery. The French were running the ball like the France teams of yesteryear. Like the teams Saint-Andre once represented rather than coached. England would come back valiantly, running in tries with a frequency that have Twickenham daring to dream again. But Maxime Mermoz would score for France and so too would Vincent Debaty, the giant French prop exploiting an England team caught out by their own desperation to score big. With Vunipola's try came a renewed sense of optimism. England were eight points from glorious victory. But then came another French try, arriving so rapidly the BBC managed to award five points to both teams. In fairness to the host broadcaster, the confusion was understandable. Bonkers. Just bonkers.
England lost on the Six Nations title by just six points on Saturday . Stuart Lancaster's men beat France 55-35 but it wasn't enough . England failed to drive home their advantage at Twickenham .