By Gavin Mairs 802PM GMT nineteen Mar 2010
Gearing up England earthy education instructor Martin Johnson puts the patrol throught their paces prior to the last Six Nations strife with France in Paris Photo GETTY IMAGES Six Nations
Saturday Mar 20
Borthwick a vital disbelief England contingency fool around with leisure French shock at Wilkinson mattock Betsen heedful of England England beef up patrol for NZ debate Rugby Union fixturesFrance v EnglandStade de France, Paris, FranceKick-off 7.45pm (GMT); TV BBC1 7.15pm, BBC Red Button 7.15pm
Head to head England earthy education instructor Martin Johnson has finished his majority appropriate to inhibit the vigour from his struggling side by claiming France have all to lose as they bid to finish the Grand Slam.
Privately however Johnson knows that a complicated improved in Paris will take critique of his government group to a new turn of intensity, and critics will smell blood. Victory however would underpin Johnsons oft-repeated perspective that swell is being done as it would give England a improved lapse that last seasons championship.
France earthy education instructor Marc Lievremont, who could do no right twelve months ago when England romped to a 34-10 victory, is right away the man of the impulse and the rewards of his argumentative tinkering early in his reign right away see abounding indeed.
Pitch conflict
Mathieu Bastareaud has been the majority mortal centre of the championship, with even Ireland captain Brian ODriscoll, routinely a inhuman defender, struggling to enclose the powerhouse 21-year-old.
Englands stop of the experienced and physically commanding Mike Tindall is a approach reply to Bastareauds midfield hazard but with only 3 Premiership starts for Gloucester given his 16-week deficiency with a injure leg tendon injury, Tindalls miss of compare fitness and ill temper could infer costly.
However, should Tindall be means to enclose his conflicting number, as he did with coolness in Englands feat over France at Twickenham last season, the visitors will be in with a chance.
Talking strategy
There is great reason for Frances mastery of the championship to date. Their shell counterclaim has asked questions of all and sundry, whilst their capability to dedicate so couple of defenders to the relapse has additionally deprived the antithesis of any space out wide.
In contrast, Les Bleus have been means to carve open defences with a multiple of the earthy bravery of Bastareaud and Imanol Harinordoquy and the swift footed aggressive aptitude of Clement Poitrenaud.
It is asking a lot of England new boys Ben Foden and Chris Ashton to strike the belligerent using at the Stade de France, but with a improved offset behind row, and plain scrum, Jonny Wilkinsons deputy Toby Flood has the prophesy and placement to get the majority appropriate of out a backline that has struggled all championship.
It will take Englands majority appropriate opening of the year however to spoil Frances Grand Slam party.
Teams
France C Poitrenaud (Toulouse); M Andreu (Castres), M Bastareaud (Stade Francais), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), A Palisson (Brive); F Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), M Parra (Clermont Auvergne); T Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), W Servat (Toulouse), N Mas (Perpignan), L Nallet (Racing-Metro), J Pierre (Clermont Auvergne), T Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), J Bonnaire (Clermont Auvergne), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz). Replacements D Szarzewski (Stade Francais), J-B Poux (Toulouse), S Chabal (Racing-Metro), A Lapandry (Clermont Auvergne), D Yachvili (Biarritz), D Marty (Perpignan), J Malzieu (Clermont Auvergne).
England B Foden (Northampton); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tindall (Gloucester), R Flutey (Brive), C Ashton (Northampton); T Flood (Leicester), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), S Shaw (Wasps), L Deacon (Leicester), J Worsley (Wasps), L Moody (Leicester, capt.), N Easter (Harlequins). Replacements S Thompson (Brive), D Wilson (Bath), T Palmer (Stade Francais), J Haskell (Stade Francais), B Youngs (Leicester), J Wilkinson (Toulon), M Tait (Sale Sharks).
Referee Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand). Assistant referees Alain Rolland and Steve McDowell (both Ireland).
