Just how much England will have gained from this 84-4 record-breaking training-ground stroll against France is hard to tell.

But it can’t have been much.

Coach Steve McNamara’s men dominated this Leigh Sports Village encounter from minute one to 80, with just the odd defensive lapse and loose attacking play allowing their outclassed visitors any moments of respite.

Yet despite the performance still being far from perfect, it was still a record win for England over France, beating the 73-6 of June, 1996.

It’s certainly going to be a different kettle of fish against New Zealand in next Sunday’s opening Test in Hull, particularly as the French elected to field a weakened side as part of their bid to claim this autumn’s European Championship campaign.

Their ‘competitive’ international fixtures against Scotland, Wales and Ireland are understandably seen as far more important than this England ‘warm-up’ game.

But for the hosts it was a vital fixture as they prepare for the punishing demands of a three-test series against the Kiwis.

And that’s why a Saturday afternoon low-key romp against the French will not have done them that not much good, even though some of their attacking flair did go down well with an appreciative 8,380 Leigh crowd, including Dewsbury-born cross-code England rugby star Sam Burgess.

He’ll have enjoyed watching kid brother George bashing the bits out of the men in blue.

But it wasn’t just the young Burgess making life so uncomfortable for the men from across the Channel - it was everyone.

By half-time, all 17 Englishmen had made their presence felt, with Giants back-row forward and England hat-trick hero Brett Ferres among them.

It was just such a crying shame clubmates Leroy Cudjoe and Jermaine McGillvary weren’t alongside him enjoying the party.

And that party had helped England race effortlessly into a 32-4 interval advantage, with tries coming from John Bateman (twice), Kallum Watkins, Josh Hodgson, Liam Farrell and Ryan Hall, and goals from Gareth Widdop.

France did manage an early try of their own through Olivier Arnaud, but that apart, they were totally out of their depth.

Unfortunately, there was no change at the start of the second half – in fact, it got worse for France – as Burgess extended the advantage within a minute of the restart.

This was quickly followed with further tries from Ferres (twice), James Roby (twice), George Williams and Hall to make it 72-4 on the hour.

And in the final quarter as England simply went through the motions, they were restricted to just two more efforts from Joe Burgess and Ferres to complete his hat trick in the 77th minute.

England: Hardaker; J Burgess, Watkins, Bateman, Hall; Widdop, Williams; Graham, Hodgson! Hill, Whitehead, Farrell, O’Loughlin. Subs: Roby, T Burgess, Cooper, Ferres.

France: Escare; Sigismeau, Baile, Julien, Arnaud; Robin, Marginet; Bousquet, Boudebza, Maria, Larroyer, Perez, Simon. Subs: Kriouache, Springer, Boyer, Goudemand.

Referee: James Child.