Martin Johnson has urged England to win back the faith of the Twickenham crowd with a ferocious start and victorious finish to Sunday's RBS 6 Nations showdown with France.

When Johnson was captain, England enjoyed an unbeaten run of 22 home games that stretched between the 1999 World Cup and their triumph in 2003.

But England have won just 55% of their home internationals - 16 from 29 Tests - since Johnson retired as captain after lifting the Webb Ellis trophy.

Now the England manager, has heard his side booed from the field during the Autumn internationals and their laboured performance in victory over Italy was greeted by catcalls from frustrated punters, some of whom had spent upwards of £80 on a ticket.

Since then, England have dropped to their worst-ever world ranking of eighth on the back of away defeats to Wales and Ireland and a spate of yellow cards.

Johnson believes England will return stronger for the experience - and he called on the current generation to give supporters something to cheer about and start transforming Twickenham into an inhospitable venue once again.

"When I was captain we won games because we were a good, experienced team. One thing we always said when we played there was that it was not up to he crowd to get us in the game, it is the other way round," said Johnson. "We need to do that on Sunday. If you don't play well you face the consequences and if you get beaten people will not be happy. That is one of the consequences of what we do.

"The first 20 minutes is important, as it is for all games but when you are at home to get the crowd behind you and give them something to get hold of. What was the score at half-time in those games at Cardiff and Dublin? It was 9-8 and 3-3. We were where we needed to be at half-time. It was relatively quiet at the Millennium Stadium and Croke Park after emotional starts.

"We got that bit done in those games and didn't get the rest of it finished. Attitude is key for every victory. This has been the best training week we have had. We have to make sure that transfers onto the pitch. The spirit in the team is strong. They have been through a tough season, two tough away games but there is an improved togetherness as a group."

Johnson has warned England they risk being ripped apart by the Gallic mix of power and pace if they sacrifice possession by conceding more careless penalties.

"France have come off one of the best performances of the championship against Wales," said Johnson. "They have a shot at the championship still and they will be a very tough proposition in all phases of the game.

"Whenever you play France you know that if you are not at your absolute best there is a chance they could rip you to pieces. They are different and dangerous."

France have the added incentive of wanting to beat England having felt a sense of injustice in losing 24-13 in the Stade de France during last year's tournament.

Lionel Faure, the Sale front rower, said yesterday he is desperate to make amends for that defeat on a day when the hosts felt they were unfairly treated by the referee.

"It isn't necessarily revenge but we would like to show them that the penalties given against us in the scrum weren't entirely justified," Faure said. "We were penalised so much in this department in the last Six Nations and we were in a negative spiral that was above all a mental thing.

"It was the start of the Six Nations and the start for a number of players in the France team. We didn't know each other and it was difficult to take."