Six Nations Week 5- France v England

All eyes on Saturday evening will turn to Paris for the clash between England and France. For France there is a championship and possibly a grand slam to be won. For England, after a tournament of dismal performances, there is the hope of regaining a sense purpose in their evolution as a side, and also the opportunity to blood some new players in the hope that they might spark what has been a rusty, stuttering mechanical team into life.

Player of the Tournament candidate Mathieu Bastareaud

France’s tournament success this year is reflected in the way that 4 of their players are nominated for the Player of the Tournament award. Extreme hunger in the forwards for the ball at the breakdown has been balanced with a great intensity at hitting the rucks and getting the backs quick ball. Lionel Nallet the former captain has been a force of nature sans the armband and it shows at how he’s been getting stuck in. Along with the growing force of Thomas Domingo at loosehead prop, who at 24 has a long way to go in rugby years, and an exceptional back row of Thierry Dusautoir and Imanol Harinordoquy. Dusautoir as France’s captain will be even more hungry for victory knowing that a Grand Slam awaits.

In the backs, I have spoken before of the sheer arrogance and brilliance of Morgan Parra. He will only get better as he continues to play, with his sniping runs and excellent place kicking making him core to France’s long-term plans. Outside him, you could argue that Mathieu Bastareaud has been the star of the tournament. With such good ball from the pack and Parra’s direction, Bastareaud and full back Clement Poitrenaud have been able to run all kinds of lines and consequentially cause all kind of mayhem. Bastareaud’s rampaging runs and strength have been a highlight of this year’s tournament. France after all that sound quite impressive, non?

Mike Tindall returns to the side after 4 months out injured.

England’s creativity in selection therefore comes as a bit of a surprise. I’m not saying this to complain, because after criticising the lack of imagination in selection the week before that would be plain hypocrisy, but now England’s backline has changed and it looks good. Toby Flood, Mike Tindall, Chris Ashton and Ben Foden all come into the backs. Tindall is not exactly similar in stature to Mathew Tait but hopefully will provide more penetration in the middle, which can get England rolling. His selection given that France have Bastareaud in the 13 shirt opposite is no real surprise. With Ashton and Foden, England have two incredibly exciting players who love to run and score tries. If suddenly we see them kicking everything away on Saturday night then let that be an indication that something is wrong with the coaching in the England set-up. If England can get them to run, then they have a chance.

Ashton (l) and Foden (r) make their first starts for England this weekend

That will require the pack however to provide the backs with good enough ball, something which we haven’t really seen this tournament. The back row shows good balance, and Simon Shaw’s return gives England much more grunt, but they have to compete at the breakdown and get clean quick ball if Danny Care is going to be able to start anything out wide. They will have to work hard, and none of Worsley, Moody or Easter are exactly fresh-faced debutants. The re-selection of Moody begs to ask the question, why was he dropped for one game against Scotland? Johnson goes on about continuity, and then does that. Bizarre.

Anyway, for a prediction, England’s ambitious selection in the backs may in fact cost them due to a lack of familiarity. The midfield is the same as the one that created the 34-10 battering of France at Twickenham, but that was 12 months ago, and a lot of has changed. France look too good on paper, so the French by ten points.