New-look France seek to end England’s Grand Slam bid
LONDON: Rarely can France have been in such need of a win at Twickenham as they will be when they try to salvage a flagging season by stopping England’s bid for a Six Nations Grand Slam in its tracks today.
Pre- tournament favourites France, arguably just one refereeing decision away from winning the 2011 World Cup final, are now bottom of the Six Nations table after defeats by Italy and Wales.
Yet for all it is a cliche, no side in world rugby has the capacity to go from the supine to sublime in the space of a couple of matches like ‘Les Bleus’.
And much criticised coach Philippe Saint-Andre, who as a dashing France wing had a key role in some sensational Test tries, tried to rally his side by urging them to live up to the best traditions of French rugby.
“The English will start favourites,” he said.
“We will have to show all our qualities of being French on Saturday ( today) – that means being brave, daring, unpredictable and to take the fight to them.
“When we are able to do that, we are able to pose problems for any team in the world.”
It is 31 years since France had such a wretched start to a Championship and Saint-Andre has responded by making seven changes and a positional switch as they seek only an 11th win in what will be their 42nd match at Twickenham.
Signi f icant ly, Saint- Andre has recalled scrum-half Morgan Parra, regarded by some judges as the best number nine in Europe, and fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc.
Out go Maxime Machenaud and the misfiring Frederic Michalak, picked at stand- off for the opening two matches even though he is playing inside former England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson at Toulon.
Meanwhile the fact Wesley Fofana, one of the rising stars of world rugby, is back at centre having been on the wing, where the fit-again Vincent Clerc returns, suggests Saint-Andre has finally been won round to the idea of picking players in their specialist positions.
Up front, the return of hooker Benjamin Kayser, prop Thomas Domingo, flanker Yannick Nyanga and a debut for lock Christophe Simon should add some much needed strength in both scrum and loose to a previously insipid pack.
In seeing off Scotland by 20 points and then grinding out a 12- 6 win against Ireland on a rainy day in Dublin, England have shown an ability to adapt to conditions that is a hallmark of the best sides.
Yet England coach Stuart Lancaster, who in December oversaw the stunning 38- 21 victory over world champions New Zealand, has resisted the temptation to stick with a winning side.
Instead he has made three changes with only one, the inclusion of Courtney Lawes at blindside flanker in place of flu victim James Haskell, enforced.
The powerful Manu Tuilagi will start alongside defensive anchor Brad Barritt in England’s midfield, with the subtler Billy Twelvetrees demoted to the bench, while in New Zealand-born hooker Dylan Hartley, Lancaster has gone for a bigger, heavier man” than former incumbent Tom Youngs.
Lawes is best known as an athletic lock but Lancaster said: “Courtney brings a lot more than lineout presence. Defensively he is one of our best players.
“France drive well at lineouts and we have good defensive options there to counter that in Courtney and Geoff Parling.” — AFP