Wilkinson showed why he is regarded as the world’s most influential player with a supreme performance, scoring 18 points as Clive Woodward’s men ran in five tries and proved why they are firm favourites to land the World Cup.

Two tries and a man-of-the-match performance from Cohen and one each from Jason Robinson, Iain Balshaw and Josh Lewsey were the vital statistics of a triumph which was a chilling warning to a weakened French side.

On the way to giving England their 22nd consecutive home victory Wilkinson also passed 700 Test points.

Last Saturday in Marseille, England’s reserves had seen their 14-match winning run ended when they lost by the narrowest of margins to a full-strength France.

Tonight it was England’s turn to be almost at full strength and the way they disposed of this second-string France side only crystalised the growing conviction in English rugby that something special is on the immediate horizon.

A Twickenham full-house even enjoyed the luxury of a Mexican wave 20 minutes from time.

But if Cohen, whose uncle George has already won a World Cup for England in football back in 1966, was the big-tackler who lit up Twickenham then there were others who did their World Cup cause no harm.

Hooker Steve Thompson covered just about every blade of grass, Ben Kay was immense in the line-outs, Balshaw looked swift and dangerous on the right-wing and Robinson gave a hint of what carnage might be unleashed on the unwary in Australia next month.

Wasps centre Stuart Abbott did his chances of gatecrashing the World Cup party no harm with a solid performance alongside Will Greenwood, but whether Martin Corry, replaced by Lewis Moody in the second half, has done enough to be in the 30-strong party is debatable.

France got the scoreboard clicking with a penalty after just two minutes which was immediately cancelled out by a Wilkinson penalty following a flurry of French fists during an all-tempered start.

Within eight minutes Wilkinson had slotted another penalty and French flanker Sebastien Chabal was in the sin-bin after referee Nigel Williams produced the yellow card for more indiscipline.

Years ago it could have descended into a free-for-all but England are too disciplined for that now.

And the measure of their focus came when Kyran Bracken was injured and groggy but defied the doctor, refusing to leave the field lest his World Cup place be wrested from him at the last moment.

He did eventually submit to the urgings from the England sidelines a couple of minutes later, to be replaced by Matt Dawson, but not until the try blitz was under way.

Wilkinson was instrumental in both Cohen’s first-half tries, supplying the deft chip through which allowed the wing to take advantage of a scrambling French defence for the first and then throwing the pass which sent Greenwood scything through to feed the killer pass for the second.

They were the defining thrusts in cracking the stout French resistance and when Robinson supplied some of his own unique magic to scamper over from 40 metres on the stroke of half-time the English supremacy was complete.

When Balshaw collected the ball from the knock-down as the second-half kicked off to race over within 13 seconds of the restart it gave Woodward the chance to rest some of his stars and avoid any unnecessary injuries.

Wilkinson and captain Martin Johnson were replaced by Paul Grayson, a certainty now for the World Cup, and Simon Shaw. Moody also came on for Corry and Jason Leonard recorded his 106th cap, which leaves him just five short of Phillipe Sella’s world record.

Woodward used all his seven replacements, Josh Lewsey going on for Abbott and supplying the coup de grace with a final touchdown in injury time, though there was still time for Aurelien Rougerie avoided a try whitewash when he crossed for France seconds from time.

All that is left is the unenviable task for Woodward tomorrow morning of wrecking the dreams of the five who must be axed from his World Cup squad.

The rest can march on Australia with the look of champions.