Bastareaud on course for collision with Tuilagi

Jacques Brunel, the France head coach who had preached the need for stability in the build-up to the Guinness Six Nations, has defended his decision to make six changes to his side to face England tomorrow.

After seeing his team throw away a 16-0 half-time lead against Wales in their opening-round 24-19 defeat, Brunel has overhauled his back division for the trip to Twickenham. His most notable selection sees the return of centre Mathieu Bastareaud in place of Romain Ntamack, who made his debut last week. Bastareaud will partner Geoffrey Doumayrou in midfield in a clear strategy to combat England’s Manu Tuilagi.

“I reported last week that Mathieu remained an important option for us,” Brunel said. “Today, it seems appropriate to make it permanent against England. We are looking for physical density to face the English midfield. With a player like Manu Tuilagi, Mathieu can have an interesting impact.”

In fairness to Brunel, three of the changes were injury enforced. Doumayrou comes in for Wesley Fofana, while wing Yoann Huget replaces Maxime Medard at fullback, a position he has not filled for France for six years. Centre Gael

Switch: Jacques Brunel has made six changes, three enforced, to his France squad

Fickou, meanwhile, takes Huget’s place on the wing, where he has never previously started for France.

Up front the changes are more straightforward. Teenage tighthead Demba Bamba fills in for the injured Uini Atonio, with flanker Yacouba Camara and lock Felix Lambey promoted from the bench.

While those changes mean that France’s forwards are less heavy than England’s, their bench is light on experience, with only two players possessing more than one cap.

“Our bench is very young in terms of experience,” Brunel said. “I expect them to bring their enthusiasm at the end of the match.”

France last won at Twickenham in the Six Nations 14 years ago and are coming up against an England team who emphatically defeated champions Ireland 32-20 in Dublin. That was arguably the best performance of the Eddie Jones era, following a difficult 2018 in which they lost six straight matches.

“England stays true to herself,” Brunel said. “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 impressed, they dominated most of the game by putting constant pressure on Ireland. In my eyes, it was an English demonstration.”