INTERNATIONAL TEST RUGBY: 6 Nations

11.03.2012
England v France in Paris (6 Nations)

Venue: Stade de France

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	PT
WALES	4	4	0	0	93	49	23	8
IRELAND	4	2	1	1	82	44	48	5
FRANCE	3	2	1	0	70	46	24	5
ENGLAND	3	2	0	1	44	40	4	4
SCOTLAND	4	0	0	4	50	95	-45	0
ITALY	4	0	0	4	40	115	-75	0

Preview
England, as a team, are still finding their way. So much expectation is put on England from home fans that we forget that this England side is hardly recognizable from the World Cup team. With many new players it is a very inexperienced side. This inexperience has found them wanting on occasions. They have won against Italy and Scotland but lost to Wales. They will struggle against the French providing the French click on the day.

France has struggled in this tournament. They haven’t yet lost and I expect them to win today. But they have been a team out of sorts. I feel the 2011 Rugby World Cup loss is still weighing heavily on them. They, like England, have rung the changes in the hope they can find combinations that click.

It will be an absorbing encounter.

Last Five Encounters
08.10.2011 France 19-12 in Auckland (World Cup, Quarterfinal)
26.02.2011 England 17-9 at Twickenham (6 Nations)
20.03.2010 France 12-10 in Paris (6 Nations)
15.02.2009 England 34-10 at Twickenham (6 Nations)
23.02.2008 England 24-13 in Paris (6 Nations)

England Last Five
25.02.2012 v Wales L 12-19 at Twickenham (6 Nations)
11.02.2012 v Italy W 19-15 in Rome (6 Nations)
04.02.2012 v Scotland W 13-6 at Murrayfield (6 Nations)
08.10.2011 v France L 12-19 in Auckland (World Cup, Quarter Final)
01.10.2011 v Scotland W 16-12 in Auckland (World Cup, Pool B)

France Last Five
04.03.2012 v Ireland D 17-17 in Paris (6 Nations)
26.02.2012 v Scotland W 23-17 at Murrayfield (6 Nations)
04.02.2012 v Italy W 30-12 in Paris (6 Nations)
23.01.2011 v New Zealand L 7-8 in Auckland (World Cup, Final)
15.10.2011 v Wales W 9-8 in Auckland (World Cup, Semi-Final)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-France 4th, England 8th
Europe Table-France 1st, England 4th

IRB Ranking Points
France 84.20, England 81.34

Prediction
The French to win at home and set up a ‘grand’ final against Wakes next weekend. France by 12 points

Teams

England

15		Benjamin Foden	Northampton Saints
14		Christopher Ashton	Northampton Saints
13		Manusamoa Tuilagi	Leicester Tigers
12		Bradley Barritt	Saracens
11		Charles Sharples	Gloucester Rugby
10		Owen Farrell	Saracens
9		Lee Dickson	Northampton Saints
8		Benjamin Morgan	Llanelly Scarlets, Wales
7		Christopher Robshaw (Capt.)	Harlequins
6		Thomas Croft	Leicester Tigers
5		Geoffrey Parling	Leicester Tigers
4		Mouritz Botha	Saracens
3		Daniel Cole	Leicester Tigers
2		Dylan Hartley	Northampton Saints
1		Alexander Corbisiero	London Irish
16		Robert Webber	London Wasps
17		Matthew Stevens	Saracens
18		Thomas Palmer	Stade Francais, France
19		Phillip Dowson	Northampton Saints
20		Benjamin Youngs	Leicester Tigers
21		Charles Hodgson	Saracens
22		Michael Brown	Harlequins
		COACH: Stuart Lancaster

France

15		Clement Poitrenaud	Toulouse
14		Vincent Clerc	Toulouse
13		Aurelien Rougerie	Clermont Auvergne
12		Wesley Fofana	Clermont Auvergne
11		Julien Malzieu	Clermont Auvergne
10		Lionel Beauxis	Toulouse
9		Julian Dupuy	Stade Français
8		Imanol Harinordoquy	Biarritz
7		Julien Bonnaire	Clermont Auvergne
6		Thierry Dusautoir (Capt.)	Toulouse
5		Yoann Maestri	Toulouse
4		Pascal Pape	Stade Francais
3		Nicolas Mas	Perpignan
2		Dimitri Szarzewski	Stade Francais
1		Jean-Baptiste Poux	Toulouse
16		William Servat	Toulouse
17		Vincent Debaty	Clermont Auvergne
18		Lionel Nallet	Racing Metro
19		Louis Picamoles	Toulouse
20		François Trinh-Duc	Montpellier
21		Morgan Parra	Clermont Auvergne
22		Maxime Mermoz	Perpignan
		Philippe Saint-Andre (Coach)