England vs France
Six Nations 2019
Venue: Twickenham
Kick-off: 15.00 GMT, Sunday February 10
Not even the most ardently optimistic of England fans could have predicted what transpired at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in the main event of the opening weekend of the 2019 Six Nations.
Facing the world's second-ranked team on a ground where they had racked up 12 successive Test wins, Eddie Jones's side produced a masterful display of relentless intensity that shook the defending Grand Slam champions to their core.
By running out 32-20 bonus-point winners - a scoreline that somewhat flattered Ireland as a result of John Cooney's late consolation try - thanks to a perfect game plan that included clever tactical kicking, monstrous physicality in defence and attack plus unwavering line speed, England, who benefitted from the rare treat of having most of their best players fit, sent out a commanding statement to their rivals in a World Cup year.
Of course the task now is to sustain or even improve upon that level of performance, with Jones stating that his team, who finished a paltry fifth in 2018 after two successive championships, are still growing and "nowhere near" their best.
They return to Twickenham for the second weekend of the tournament and welcome a France side that once again proved that the old saying about their wild unpredictabilty is more than just a well-worn cliche.
Les Bleus were dominant in the opening 40 minutes against Wales on Friday night, with tries from Louis Picamoles and Yoann Huget ensuring they went in at the interval leading by 16 points. It could have been more too, were it not for a difficult night from the tee for Morgan Parra in inclement weather.
The self-sabotage that transpired thereafter bordered on farcical for Jacques Brunel and co, as inexplicable blunders from Huget and Sebastien Vahaamahina allowed the opportunistic George North to inspire a remarkable 24-19 comeback victory for the Welsh. A losing bonus point was certainly no consolation.
Team news and line-ups
Chris Ashton will make his first Six Nations start since 2013 as Jack Nowell drops to the bench, with Jones looking for the experienced former Toulon wing to make an early impact.
England's only other change sees Courtney Lawes partner George Kruis in the second row as Maro Itoje recovers from a grade two medial ligament tear in his knee.
After initial fears that he could miss the remainder of the tournament, Jones is hopeful that the Saracens lock will be fit to face Wales in Cardiff on February 23.
Lawes' promotion means that Joe Launchbury comes onto the bench. Likewise props Dan Cole and Ben Moon, with Harry Williams and Ellis Genge dropping out of the matchday squad.
England XV: Daly; Ashton, Slade, Tuilagi, May; Farrell, Youngs; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler; Lawes, Kruis; Wilson, Curry, B Vunipola
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Cole, Moon, Launchbury, Hughes, Robson, Ford, Nowell
France make six changes from opening night, with Mathieu Bastareaud brought back into the midfield to try and combat the significant physical impact of a certain Manu Tuilagi.
Geoffrey Doumayrou is also drafted in as Brunel opts to restore the centre partnership that started in the win over England last year. Young Romain Ntamack drops to the bench and Wesley Fofana misses out on the 23.
Further re-shuffling in the backs sees Huget move to full-back to cover the injured Maxime Medard and Gael Fickou playing opposite Damian Penaud on the flanks.
Much was made of France fielding the heaviest forward pack in rugby union history against Wales, but it gets lighter this week with the formidable Uini Atonio injured.
20-year-old Demba Bamba takes his place in the front row and Felix Lambey partners Vahaamahina at lock after an impressive cameo in the second half against Wales. Paul Willemse is the man to make way.
Yacouba Camara gets the nod at blindside over Wenceslas Lauret.
France XV: Huget; Penaud, Doumayrou, Bastareaud, Fickou; Lopez, Parra; Poirot, Guirado, Bamba; Lambey, Vahaamahina; Camara, Iturria, Picamoles
Replacements: Bourgarit, Priso, Aldegheri, Willemse, Alldritt, Dupont, Ntamack, Ramos
Score prediction: England 30-17 France
France will be desperate to respond positively to that opening night second-half meltdown in Paris and seem to have altered their approach somewhat after fielding a beastly pack and fleet-footed back division against Wales.
However, England looked terrific in so many facets of the game in Dublin and will be expected to replicate that effort on home soil.
While they did beat a reeling Red Rose at the Stade de France last year, France have not fared well across the channel in the last decade and could be in for a long afternoon if they allow concentration levels to slip to the same extent as they did versus Wales.
Betting tips via Betfair | UK users only | Subject to change
Match odds
- England to win: 1/5
- Draw: 25/1
- France to win: 4/1
Click here to find the latest match odds and place a bet.
TV channel and live stream, and online coverage
ITV and the BBC are sharing broadcasting rights for the Six Nations for the third successive year, with ITV - having also had the game at the Aviva - hosting England v France on its main free-to-air channel and via the ITV Player.
You can also follow all the action with Standard Sport's LIVE blog.
Head to Head record and history (h2h)
These two rivals have met on the rugby union field on 104 previous occasions, with England boasting 57 wins to France's 40. There have been seven draws.
France have not won at Twickenham since a World Cup warm-up tie in 2007 and are without a Six Nations triumph in Le Crunch at English rugby headquarters since 2005, when 16 points from the boot of scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili condemned the reigning world champions to a third straight Test defeat.
The two teams will also square off in a World Cup Pool C match in Yokohama in October.
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