DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
ComeAllWithin (Harlequins Rugby)
HTML https://comeallwithin.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: ComeAllWithin Board
*****************************************************
#Post#: 150671--------------------------------------------------
England team changes for France
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: March 10, 2026, 9:49 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Chessum starts, Underhill to bench, CCS retained on bench.
That's it.
#Post#: 150673--------------------------------------------------
Re: England team changes for France
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: March 10, 2026, 9:54 am
---------------------------------------------------------
FRANCE V ENGLAND
Saturday 14 March 2026
Stade de France
Kick-off: 20.10 GMT
15. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 75 caps)
14. Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks, 11 caps)
13. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 26 caps)
12. Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby, 3 caps)
11. Cadan Murley (Harlequins, 5 caps)
10. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, 15 caps)
9. Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby, 17 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 79 caps) – vice-captain
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 109 caps) – vice-captain
3. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 101 caps) – captain
5. Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 18 caps)
6. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 34 caps)
7. Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
8. Ben Earl (Saracens, 50 caps)
Replacements:
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 57 caps)
17. Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 14 caps)
18. Trevor Davison (Northampton Saints, 7 caps)
19. Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 21 caps)
20. Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 49 caps)
21. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints, 9 caps)
22. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
23. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 49 caps)
#Post#: 150674--------------------------------------------------
Re: England team changes for France
DIR By: Fearless Fred
Date: March 10, 2026, 9:59 am
---------------------------------------------------------
It's going to be a long evening. Just glad I've got the beers in
to drown the sorrows...
#Post#: 150675--------------------------------------------------
Re: England team changes for France
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: March 10, 2026, 10:00 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Oh well, at least he's not throwing the baby out with the bath
water on selection. I thought he'd go back to Ford and Steward
so kudos for being brave. I mean against a smarting French team,
in Paris where they need a 5 pointer to secure the title....
Looks like CCS is being seen as a second row option as well but
Chessum deserves to start but should be in the row for me.
Yellow cards permitting, he needs to make changes when it starts
going wonky to give them a chance. Marcus was excellent out
there two years ago, let's hope for a repeat of that but he
needs time.
#Post#: 150676--------------------------------------------------
Re: England team changes for France
DIR By: Quinten Poulsen
Date: March 10, 2026, 10:06 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I don't think he had a choice - he'd look a right mug if he made
a bunch of changes again. (More of a mug)
#Post#: 150677--------------------------------------------------
Re: England team changes for France
DIR By: never sleep
Date: March 10, 2026, 10:18 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The bookies seem to think that France will win by 16 - 18
points.
Most bookies have England at 5 / 1 to win.
(I wish that I had checked the odds before the team announcement
to see if they changed much)
#Post#: 150678--------------------------------------------------
Re: England team changes for France
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: March 10, 2026, 10:18 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Quinten Poulsen link ---
>
> I don't think he had a choice - he'd look a right mug if he
made a bunch of changes again. (More of a mug)
>
--- End Quote ---
Yeah, quite. I thought maybe Furbank in for Daly but I don't
think he's match fit anyway.
#Post#: 150679--------------------------------------------------
Re: England team changes for France
DIR By: never sleep
Date: March 10, 2026, 10:22 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Hey ChatGPT - -
Coming off the back of 3 losses in the 6 Nations Rugby
Tournament, what do England need to do to beat France in Paris
on Saturday? Or, is it not possible to win?
---
Short answer: Yes, England can win in Paris — but only if
several things change compared with the last three matches.
Right now France are clear favourites, but rugby matches swing
on momentum and game management, so an upset is possible.
Here’s the realistic situation and what England would need to
do.
1. Fix discipline immediately
England’s discipline has been one of their biggest problems this
tournament.
They have the worst disciplinary record in the Six Nations, with
7 yellow cards and 1 red.
Playing France in Paris while a man down is almost a guaranteed
loss.
What they must do:
Avoid cheap breakdown penalties
Stay patient in defence instead of forcing turnovers
Keep 15 players on the field
Against France, 10 minutes with 14 men can easily mean two tries
conceded.
2. Improve finishing in the opposition 22
England are actually getting into attacking positions fairly
often.
They have 48 entries into the opposition 22, the second-most in
the tournament.
But they have one of the worst points-per-entry rates.
That means they are wasting opportunities.
What they must do:
Take early points when available (penalties)
Be more decisive with the backs rather than multiple slow phases
Improve accuracy in the final pass
France are extremely clinical — if England miss chances, France
will not.
3. Decide whether the kicking plan actually works
England have stuck to a kick-heavy strategy.
They lead the tournament in kicks and kicking metres.
Critics say the tactic is predictable and not producing tries.
What would help:
Keep contestable kicks, but mix in:
more ball in hand
faster ruck speed
wider attacking shapes
If England simply kick repeatedly to a French back three in
Paris, they risk getting punished on the counterattack.
4. Defend far better in open play
Another major issue has been missed tackles.
44% of England’s missed tackles lead to a line break or try —
extremely high.
Against France’s attacking talent, that is dangerous.
Key defensive priorities:
Strong inside defenders around the ruck
Stop offloads in contact
Slow French ball at the breakdown
5. Win the physical contest up front
France have been dominant this tournament:
They crushed Ireland 36–14 in Paris earlier in the championship.
England have brought in Ollie Chessum at blindside flanker to
add size and line-out strength.
If England can:
disrupt French lineouts
hold parity in the scrum
dominate mauls
then they can slow the game down and keep it close.
So… can England actually win?
Yes — but the likely scenario is still a French win.
For England to pull off the upset they need:
Zero cards and low penalties
Take points every time they enter the French 22
Mix attack with the kicking game
Tackle far better than in the last three matches
Slow the game and win set-piece battles
If they do those things, the match could become a tight,
low-scoring arm-wrestle, which is England’s best chance.
If it becomes fast and open, France probably win comfortably.
#Post#: 150680--------------------------------------------------
Re: England team changes for France
DIR By: never sleep
Date: March 10, 2026, 10:25 am
---------------------------------------------------------
And following on on ChatGPT ----
Have the England coaches asked you the same question?
---
Sadly not — my phone has remained stubbornly silent from the
England coaching team. 📵🏉
No messages from Steve Borthwick, no late-night WhatsApps from
Kevin Sinfield, and not even a desperate call from Jamie George
asking what to do in Paris.
#Post#: 150681--------------------------------------------------
Re: England team changes for France
DIR By: never sleep
Date: March 10, 2026, 10:27 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Also from ChatGPT -
"My guess for the most likely outcome would be France by about
15 points."
*****************************************************
Page 1 of 13
DIR Next Page