Preview: France v England
There is only a narrow strip of water separating the two countries – the English Channel to the English, La Manche in French from its sleeve-like look on a map. At its narrowest its about 32 km wide and people swim it. But the distance between the two countries has been as wide as can be. Down the years the French and the English have not liked each other all that much.
They have fought wars, they have different languages, different ways of eating and drinking, different lifestyles and they have simply not liked each other. But somehow that is changing, and it's not just because of the English who go South to the warm fringe of the Mediterranean.
The English are taking to wine and tasty food; the French are becoming lighter of heart and adopting more and more English words, the way the English did after the Norman conquest. Instead of squabbling, the countries are actually becoming political bedfellows and in the post-Christian era religious differences are far less obvious.
The rugby difference is becoming more watered down with more and more English speakers playing in the cosmopolitan French clubs. And then playing styles have – as throughout the rugby world – become the same. French flair and unpredictably are well and truly dead. They, too, bash, believing firmly in the value of size – in the backs as well as the forwards.
Some in France are concerned that the number of foreign players in the French Top 14 is robbing French rugby of both its Frenchness and its strength. If you go through the squads of each club, add up the number of players in the squads and the number of foreigners, it is a bit of a shock. The 14 squads have a total of some 590 players, of whom 270 are foreigners. That is over 45 percent, who may be worth even more in playing time.
Still there will be a huge crowd at Stade de Francis in Northern Paris, and the Marseillaise will be as passionately as ever.
And in English hearts and minds they will know that there is a Grand Slam waiting to crown their Six Nations title, the Triple Crown, the Calcutta Cup and the Millennium Trophy. Their last Grand Slam was in 2003, the year when they won the World Cup.
Players to watch:
For England: Their backs. That is a surprise that you would choose to watch the England backs who are playing with so much confidence and cohesion while the French seem so unsure of themselves and so lacking rhythm. England has a back three who are not merely defensive players. Every one of Mike Brown, Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell has the strength, speed and courage to cause headaches for defenders. The English forward most likely to catch the eye is newboy Maro Itoje, tall and athletic and playing with naive exuberance.
For France: The French will hope that South African Scott Spedding can produce a spark. He is strong, brave and adventurous. Whenever the ball is heading his way there is a frisson of excitement. Of the French forwards the captain, Guilhem Guirado, is the one most likely to catch the eye. When appointed captain he said he would lead by example and leave the decisions to the off-field staff, which questions his leadership, but he has certainly set a good example.
Head to head:
It's hard to see where a French individual or a French unit can dominate England opposition. The only worthwhile contest may be between the two fullbacks, Scott Spedding and Mike Brown.
Results against Common Opponents in Six Nations 2016
Whatever the reason, This Six Nations has been a poor one for France. They beat Italy in Paris by two points thanks to a dubious penalty, beat Ireland by a point and lost to Wales and Scotland. England reach Paris on Saturday unbeaten. The new French coach, Guy Noves, always nonchalantly in control as the long-term coach of Toulouse, now looks bewildered.
Ireland: England won 21-10; France won 10-9
Italy: England won 40-9; France won 23-21
Scotland: England won 15-9; France lost 39-18
Wales: England won 25-21; France lost 19-10
Every one of those results suggests that England will win.
But surely the French will not be content to be doormats for the English – not men like Yoann Maestri, Rabah Slimani and Damien Chouly up front and Maxime Mermoz in the backline. If nothing else they will not want to endure the opprobrium of their home crowd as some French sides in the past have suffered.
Recent results:
2015: England won 55-35, Twickenham
2014: France won 26-24, Stade de France
2013: England won 23-13, Twickenham
2012: England won 24-22, Stade de France
2011: England won 17-9, Twickenham
2010: France won 12-10, Stade de France
2009: England won 34-10, Twickenham
2008: England won 24-13, Stade de France
There is not much comfort for France in this either. Even at Stade de France this schedule produces a two-all result. Mind you the overall result at Stade de France since 1998 is a little better. Of eight Six Nations matches at Stade de France, France have won five and England three.
Prediction: Taking current form into account and looking closely at the personnel of the two teams, and on top of all this considering the added English motivation of a Grand Slam, one cannot but predict an English victory with the possibility of surpassing its highest score at Stade de France, which at present is 24. At the same time one cannot see this French team reaching double figures.
Teams:
France: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Wesley Fofana, 13 Gaël Fickou, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Virimi Vakatawa, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Loann Goujon, 7 Bernard le Roux, 6 Damien Chouly, 5 Alexandre Flanquart, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado (captain), 1 Jefferson Poirot.
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Uini Atonio, 18 Xavier Chiocci, 19 Paul Jedrasiak, 20 Wenceslas Lauret, 21 Sébastien Bézy, 22 Jules Plisson, 23 Maxime Médard.
England: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jack Nowell, 10 George Ford, 9 Danny Care, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 James Haskell, 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 George Kruis, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley (captain), 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Jack Clifford, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Manu Tuilagi. Elliot Daly.
Date: Saturday, 19 March 2016
Kick-off: 21.00 (GMT 20.00)
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Expected weather: It's not quite springtime in Paris. The day will be cloudy and cold , a high of 10°C, dropping to 3°C
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Leighton Hodges (Wales)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
