BORDEAUX, France -- It's hard to keep coming up with ways to describe this England team, but the way in which they won Sunday's Women's Six Nations Grand Slam decider was yet another example of their excellence.
The 43-28 victory over rivals France in Bordeaux was far from routine. Even before the match, they had a long list of injuries and absences that left them missing a huge amount of experience. Any other side would have faltered, but not these Red Roses. The results kept coming, tries were free-flowing and heading into the finale in France, the outcome did feel inevitable.
But rather than the one-sided affair some may have predicted, a Women's Six Nations classic unfolded, filled with twists and turns that had fans craving more.
England were slow out the blocks. Sloppy mistakes and handling errors cost them early as France got a grip on the game quickly and, crucially, made it count when they opened the scoring.
While the halftime score blew out to 26-7 in favour of England, that didn't tell the whole story. Les Bleus were gritty. Their defence, for the most part, resilient and they constantly asked questions of their opposition.
However, they also learned an important lesson. Even against a weakened Red Roses outfit, you can't let up for a second.
"It just shows the mental resilience in this group," captain Meg Jones told her post match news conference. "We had a few doubters ... Outside noise and that's natural. Particularly when you're at the top. You always have a target on your back. We want that and we want the chase as well. We want to play competitively and show up each week.
"Just super proud of the girls."
Sarah Bern bulldozed over the line from close range and Ellie Kildunne, who looked back to her best in Bordeaux, scored twice either side of Jess Breach going over.
At one moment France appeared in control. In the next, they were down and almost out.
The hosts found a spark midway through the second half and again pressured England, whose defence did creek. Anaïs Grando and Pauline Bourdon Sansus went over in quick succession and the French faithful in Stade Atlantique began to believe.
Again, other teams would have faltered under such pressure.
Not England.
As if they flicked a switch, their formidable backline spun the ball from left to right from a scum, Kildunne used her blistering pace and darted towards the line to give Breach the space she needed to finish the move.
Veterans Marlie Packer and Amy Cokayne combined for another try just before full time and it was over.
"I always thought it was going to be a really great experience for us," head coach John Mitchell told his post-match news conference.
"I just thought whatever happens we'll be in a great place, but just the way the girls turned up today and we absorbed a strong start by France, but then everyone witness an outstanding first half.
"There was long periods of play, a lot of transition. And I thought that try before half time by us was world class."
The numbers speak for themselves.
38-straight Test wins. Eight Women's Six Nations titles with five Grand Slams on the bounce.
283 points scored compared to France's 201 across this year's tournament. Their defence, for once, didn't come out on top. 104 points conceded to Ireland's 96 and France's 92, but it proved irrelevant with the amount of tries they scored and ease with which they scored them.
Cokayne finished with a 97.9% lineout completion rate while four of the top six try-scorers were English.
Zoe Harrison missed just two kicks all tournament and finished top of the points tally with 59.
Coach John Mitchell pointed out Harrison as a player who has stepped up even more following last year's World Cup success.
"She's very good. She's very confident. I've seen a different mental state in Zoe since the World Cup," Mitchell said. "I like that mental state. I think the players enjoy her as well because she drives the game."
Could they be one of the best of all time? Coach John Mitchell was asked the question in his news conference and said they can't be far off.
Kildunne was eager to back her coach up.
"Yeah, I don't see why not. If you're going to go off stats, it probably is," Kildunne said. "I think it's coming to the time where you recognise rugby for rugby and not men's and women's as a divide.
"We're happy to say that the game is slightly different, but you can't misjudge a success. We train and work so hard to keep on being successful. We know that everyone's been chasing our tail and everyone wants to be the first team that beats England, but we keep on showing the world that we're here to stay and we're here to be that successful team."
France gave it their all and, while they'll know they missed a golden opportunity to break England's monopoly on the women's game, it will take one incredible team to finally topple the Red Roses.