For Jesse Tremulier, third from right, the match against England will be a farewell to international rugby. Photo: Shuttershock/Laszlo Geczo
The stakes couldn't be higher for the Red Roses this weekend. England are aiming for a fifth successive Women's Six Nations title in their historic clash with France — the first time they've played a stand-alone match at Twickenham.
More than 53,000 tickets sold for match, new world-record attendance expected at the women's international tournament, and the team hopes to give retiring head coach Simon Middleton a dream farewell.
France have not beaten England in their last 11 tries, but against a team lacking key personnel this campaign, coupled with a growing injury list, could Les Bleues end their losing streak under the most dramatic of circumstances? Here's how they were able to host their first Grand Slam since 2018.
Hunting a vulnerable England team
Hannah Botterman and Marley Packer recovered from their injuries ahead of the match — a huge bonus for an England team that's been through a lot of turmoil over the years. the whole tournament, despite the fact that the attackers have adapted and reacted.
In open play, they were brilliant, running hard lines and making unloads that a defender would be proud of. In the standard production, they didn't have enough consistency to stick together as a whole, and at times it showed up.
The Red Roses failed in the first two encounters with Ireland when they were really under pressure. In the first, they awarded a penalty for a scrum and then a free kick for starting the second too early, deep in Ireland. And were tested in the first half against Wales.
One interesting area for me was the corridor, which was a deadly attacking platform for England in last year's World Cup. The absence of the pregnant Abby Ward was really felt. She was England's favorite as a receiver and was central to the creation of the leading mace. Zoe Oldcroft took over as lineout leader, with particular attention paid to making sure the defenders saw more of the ball.
While their own corridor has been quite solid, England ranks fourth behind France, Italy and Wales in terms of interceptions. In fact, France stole twice as many lineouts as England, which would be a big red flag for the Middleton team.
Just a few months ago, everyone was criticizing the Red Roses for putting attacking rugby through their strikers too much. But their style of play was turned on its head in Six Nations. The forward-to-defense ratio in last year's Six Nations was 60:40, but this year we see them playing much more actively. Maybe they were training for the big crowd from Twickenham.
Has the England striker deteriorated? Or are they just developing their attack? You might object that they have yet to strike a balance between both. In the match against Ireland, they scored one try from the cam, which is completely uncharacteristic for this team. This is an area in which the French are very good.
Get first place in the breakdown
England have turned over in a ruck against Ireland five times and France will be licking their lips looking at this statistic. French women Agatha Sochat and Gael Ermette love to work in this field and the Red Roses realize they will need to do much better at Twickenham.
England needs pace. They have the highest ruck attack speed of any team in the league (2.5 seconds) behind France (3.1 seconds) and are most effective when the defense is out of shape and can attack defenders with the help of Abby. Dow pace.
They should be whiter than white on breakdown. They conceded 12 penalties against Ireland last weekend, most of which came as a foul. Aimee Barrett-Theron will referee this decisive match and she will not tolerate any indiscipline on stage that will be watched by so many people around the world.
Use Gabrielle Vernier
Vernier was one of my favorite players to watch Six Nations. She is one of the most versatile players in women's football at the moment and has a bet on the French back line.
Her defensive work rate is formidable and she has really cemented this French midfield with her look. catch displays. France is known for their pressure, and Vernier has been at the forefront of this — she's out of action — but is also a seasoned jackal.
She is a stark contrast to Tatjana Hurd, who is a straight runner and serious ball dealer. If England resist the French playmaker, they could be in big trouble.
Tee accuracy.
This has been a topic of discussion ever since England coach Middleton suggested women should be allowed to convert closer to the post because they lack the power to hit the ball like male players (which I don't understand). t lawyer).
It's no secret that the English have been fighting for their place throughout the Six Nations — they actually have the worst success rate in the championship. They missed Zoe Harrison and Emily Scarratt very much and finding a second goaltender should be a real job leading up to a home world championship in two years.
France has a bit more tee hits (53%) than England (49%) and I wonder if any team will focus on scoring closer to the posts. France's Jessie Tremulier, who will retire from rugby after Saturday's game, looked pretty confident off her jersey.
Simon Middleton made the bold decision to start with Helena Rowland in the spotlight and also make her England's number one kicker on Saturday. You feel that if it's as close as last year's World Cup billiards meeting, where England beat France 13-7, a standing kick could go a long way.
What a fabulous ending for Tremulier, rugby player of the decade, to hang up his rugby boots with a win at Twickenham? There is a feeling that this may be their best chance.
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