Sarah Byrne scored two tries for England at Bayonne in 2022. Photo: AP/Nicolas Mollot
When we played France in Bayonne two years ago, we were booed off the field after the warm-up. I will never forget the hostile atmosphere. But rather than feeling intimidated, we enjoyed the cauldron of boos and ridicule. I remember Marley Packer turning to the crowd as we walked down the tunnel and saying a few words back and we won 24-12. You can bet the atmosphere at Bordeaux's Stade Chaban-Delmas ahead of England's Grand Slam clash with France this weekend will be equally confrontational.
Under the leadership of new head coach John Mitchell, the England team has reached a new level. They have achieved colossal victories, and their razor-sharp attack has never looked so destructive and united. Even on French soil, in front of passionate fans, they will be favorites to win a sixth consecutive Six Nations title.
France will be desperate to end their 12-match losing streak against their English opponents and will be in a fierce battle going forward. Le Bleu's team consists of athletic forwards. I especially remember Madoussou Fall, their energetic and combative castle. She achieves everything and is the only French player I would pick in any England team — I've been on the edge of her shots and they are bone-crushing. Elsewhere in their pack, No. 8 Roman Menager is calling the shots, and their two props, Annael Deshaies and Assia Khalfaoui, are excellent offloaders who tear up trees and play with real French flair.
Madoussou Fall showed off her athleticism by scoring two tries at the championships. Photo: Getty Images/Christian Liewig
That's all before you mention France's most valuable weapon: the scrum. France's scrum has been flawless this year, with a success rate of 100 per cent, marginally ahead of England's 90 per cent. Historically, France has always been a tight contest and this is an area that the Red Roses have really had to work on at home, but it is as much a weapon for them as it is for England.
Nathan Catt, rugby union's scrum coach, has extended his influence throughout England's attack-oriented squad this campaign. England have not had the opportunity to consistently be in the front row as often as they would like due to injuries or player suspensions. However, the suggestion that their front row combinations might need a little more road testing seems a bit disingenuous given how well the team — and the rest of the squad — are playing.
In Bordeaux, we are likely to see Amy Cockayne return from a one-match suspension to cover for the retired Lark Atkin-Davies. with an ankle injury, while Connie Powell will look to make another significant contribution off the bench.
Scrum is about repetition and getting processes right, and it can be difficult to achieve that consistency when people are constantly changing places. But this is a minor issue, offset by England's marauding double play. Hannah Botterman and Maude Muir were effective on all fronts, with Kelsey Clifford and Mackenzie Carson making a real impact off the bench. What is not often talked about is that all the Red Roses' props are very young. Carson, 26, and Botterman, 24, are the oldest members of the quartet and moved from centers later in their careers, so you can tell there's some immaturity there. This bodes well for the future.
To demonstrate how unstructured England's attack had become, the Red Roses caused 70 per cent fewer injuries in the Championship compared to two years earlier. France will try to dominate in this area this weekend because it is part of their game that they have really prepared for. They made significantly more maul meters than England, who, with their desire to play on the edge, relied little on their white moving missile.
But one area where France is struggling is in corridor. Things looked shaky against Wales last weekend and England, who top the charts for lineout interceptions, will be licking their lips at how inconsistent it was. The Red Roses have plenty of threats in and around the lineout — strikers like Alex Matthews and Zoe Oldcroft are incredibly alert and unafraid of getting stuck for the ball — and both teams will be at each other's throats. On Saturday, England — as in many recent matches against France — will have to be fearless.
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