Six Nations Grand Slam: France sweep fans off their feet with glorious triumph

There is a 1990s billboard advert, fondly remembered in both England and France.

The background is a St George's cross — «1966 was a great year for English football,» the text begins.

«Eric was born,» it concludes, as Manchester United maverick Cantona stares out moodily from the foreground.

As France's Grand Slam's winners danced amid the tickertape, pyro and thumping Eurodisco, it bears updating — 1998 was a great year for French sport, Cameron was born.

Second row Cameron Woki was right in the heart of the post-match mosh-pit after Saturday's Grand Slam-sealing win over England. Just as he has been at the heart of everything else for France during this Six Nations.

The 23-year-old is the archetypal modern forward, all long limbs, deft hands and bottomless energy.

He was born in Saint Denis, in the shadow of the national stadium, four months after another France team had cavorted around the pitch, soaking up the champagne and adulation.

Back in 1998, it was Zidane, Desailly, Barthez and the rest. A football team who coined a term — black-blanc-beur — to sum up its cosmopolitan mix.

That year, they lit up the Arc de Triomphe in honour of their World Cup win. A million people swarmed the Champs Elysees to celebrate.

It wasn't quite that on the final whistle this time. Not yet. But, as the car horns blared deep into the night and the songs spilled across the concourse and out into the streets, the spirit felt the same.

In 18 months' time France will host rugby union's 2023 World Cup. And this Paris spring feels like the moment a public fell head over heels for its national team.

It had been building all day ahead of a 21:00 kick-off local time.

On the morning newsstands, L'Equipe's headline was 'Operation Grand Slam', with its