Mike Tindall insists England must use their performance against France as a launchpad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign.

England lost 12-10 in Paris but they pushed the Grand Slam champions to the brink with their most vibrant performance of a troubled RBS 6 Nations campaign.

England head to Australia and New Zealand this June for a five-match tour, including two Tests against the Wallabies plus fixtures against the Australian Barbarians and New Zealand Maori.

Martin Johnson has virtually had to start from scratch each time England have come together over the last 18 months either due to Lions call-ups or injuries.

But England will take a 44-man squad Down Under and Tindall believes the trip will be a vital opportunity to realise the team's potential just over a year out from the World Cup.

"Our best performance of the Six Nations was against France and we've got to make sure we continue that when we go to Australia," said Tindall.

"Look at last summer, when we dropped off a little bit for the Tests against Argentina.

"This year we've got to make sure we build and build and build and keep these same guys together and move it forward that way.

"It's nice to have got a better performance but now we have to make sure that continues and we can progress."

As encouraging as the Paris performance was, it should not disguise how much distance Johnson's team still have to make up if they are to challenge at the World Cup in New Zealand next year.

England finished the Six Nations in third place - one spot down from 2008 and 2009 - with two wins and a draw from five matches.

Not a single England player would make it into a team of the tournament and the key statistics will only serve to heighten the pressure on Johnson's coaching team.

England's points tally and try-count were both dramatically down on last year. They had the worst breakdown record in the tournament, the worst tackle percentages and completed the fewest off-loads.

The former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio laid the blame at the door of the RFU's elite rugby director Rob Andrew for not creating a world class structure for the national team.

Johnson pre-empted any criticism of his coaching staff by hailing their contribution and he scoffed at suggestions that England have lacked ambition during the tournament.

But something changed for the France game and Tindall revealed a significant shift in mindset was behind it.

England finally bit the bullet, picked an in-form back three of Ben Foden, Mark Cueto and Chris Ashton and gave them a licence to attack.

"What we spoke about this week was that sometimes winning is not everything. You need to win with a performance and sometimes we focus too much on just getting a win," said Tindall.

"We had more freedom to go out there and express ourselves. The back three were outstanding.

"Ben Foden definitely has a big international future ahead of him. He helps to promote the game we want to play. If a kick goes in I know I'll work back becuase there's a good chance he'll run it.

"It helps you to get your game going."

Johnson will have the opportunity this summer to introduce more exciting young talents into the England set-up, with the likes of Saracens pair Andy Saull and Alex Goode both set to be included.

It is also emerging as a key trip for the likes of Dan Cole, Matt Mullan, Courtney Lawes, Foden and Ashton to cement themselves as part of Johnsons plans after breaking into the squad this season.

"I am looking forward to the tour. I have to keep playing at Northampton and hopefully I will get onto it," said Ashton.

"It is a different scale, playing in front of 80,000 people at the Stade de France. This is where I want to be every time that England play. I am not going to let it go."

Wales and Ireland both head Down Under this summer while Scotland tackle World Cup group rivals Argentina.

Johnson believes all four home nations will spend the next few months rueing the "what might have beens". They all had chances to make a major impact on a mediocre Six Nations.

England could have been going for the Grand Slam themselves in Paris had they not conceded a soft late try to Ireland and drawn at Murrayfield.

The Scots' frustration will be deeper given they ended with an away victory over Ireland having lost matches in Italy and Wales that they should have won.

Wales showed their devastating attacking qualities at times but mainly once they had fallen 20 points down. They staged a dramatic comeback to beat Scotland but could not overhaul England or France.

And Ireland could not replicate last year's Grand Slam heroics - but they remain the cream of the home nations thanks to an ability to execute chances so ruthlessly, as Tommy Bowe did against England.