COULD HAVE MAJOR RAMIFICATIONS FOR THE WORLD CUP IN JAPAN a knockout punch
Manu Tuilagi. Mathieu can have an interesting impact.”
Butter-fingered wing Yoann Huget, who presented George North with a try on a plate in last Friday’s defeat to Wales, is moved to full-back to free up a spot out wide for Gael Fickou.
Demba Bamba starts at tighthead prop, flanker Yacouba Camara comes in for Wenceslas Lauret, while lock Felix Lambey replaces the benched Paul Willemse. England start as hot favourites, claiming they can push on from the performance that beat Ireland last Saturday.
“We don’t want to just be good at stuff. Everyone is good at stuff. We want to see where we can take it,” said captain Owen Farrell. “We have not been hiding the fact we want to be the best team in the world.”
And Brunel thinks they are getting ever closer to that ambition. “England stay true to themselves. We know they always impose their power,” he said. “Last year they had a difficult phase that lasted three to four months. Since then they have found their form, as the match against Ireland attests.
“I was very impressed with their performance. They dominated most of the game by putting constant pressure on Ireland. In my eyes, it was an English demonstration.”
❑ LEICESTER have signed Crusaders back-row Jordan Taufua, 27, who will join the club in November on a two-and-a-half-year contract. POWER: Bastareaud is back LEWIS MOODY was part of the last England team to feel the pain of losing to France at Twickenham – but he predicts the class of 2019 will wipe the floor with the flaky French.
The former England captain sees parallels between the mental fragility of Jacques Brunel’s misfiring side and Andy Robinson’s 2005 team, who blew an 11-point half-time lead to go down 18-17 at Twickenham.
That was England’s eighth defeat in 11 Tests, mirroring the run France are on now.
“It was a tough period on the back of losing a few players after the 2003 World Cup win and a change in coaching staff,” said Moody.
“We’d lost a few going into that game and there was an issue with consistency of selection.
“It went well at first with Jamie Noon having a stellar game and Olly Barkley pulling the strings. At half-time we were sat there in the changing room thinking we’d absolutely smash them.
“But I gave away a few penalties through over-exuberance on my first game back, we missed a few kicks, and Dimitri Yachvili was like a metronome.
“We allowed them back in it and they won it. We basically did all we could to throw it away.”
Charlie Hodgson and Barkley contrived to miss six kicks, the little French scrum-half kicked six penalties, and with Hodgson missing a late drop-goal attempt, France had their first win at Twickenham for eight years.
“There was a numb feeling afterwards. We knew we’d been good enough to win,” said Moody, speaking on behalf of Land Rover. “We hadn’t played badly, we just lacked the confidence to close out the game.
“I remember Andy Robinson being frustrated. I was cheesed off with the result and at my own performance too.”
Since then, Twickenham has been a field of nightmares for the French, who have had no joy there for 14 years.
Moody does not expect that run of England success to be broken tomorrow.
“This is quite a good French side on paper but they lack belief. They are a bit like we were then,” said Moody.
“If they stay in the game, that belief will grow, but if England get ahead they will absolutely wipe the floor with France.
I can see France capitulating.”
Moody believes Eddie Jones has struck upon a blend that can take England all the way in this championship after the round-one win over Ireland.
“There was so much doubt coming into the autumn and they now know the strength in depth and have guys like Tom Curry playing out of his skin and Mark Wilson taking his chance with both hands,” said Moody.
“It’s exciting times for Eddie Jones with all this young exciting talent, and with many experienced players that are pulling the strings and orchestrating things for him.”
●LEWIS MOODY is an ambassador for Land Rover, which shares and understands the values of rugby. @LandRoverRugby