England vs France - Saturday 12pm, BBC2

[Puja]

Reverse fixture for the entertaining England rugby team this week, again on BBC for the Amazon refuseniks.


England: Kildunne; MacDonald, Tuima, Harrison, Dow; Daley-Mclean (capt), Riley; Cornborough, Davies, Brown, Ward, Talling, Millar-Mills, Matthews, Cleall.

Replacements: Cokayne, Perry, Keates, Beckett, Packer, Hunt, Rowland, Scarratt.

France: Izar; Banet, Pignot, Ulutule, Bertrand; Drouin, Sansus; Deshaye, Sochat, Bernadou, Ferer, N'Diaye, Mayans, Hermet (capt), Gros.

Replacements: Touye, Traore, Joyeux, Diallo, Menager, Bourdon, Peyronnet, Tremouliere.


Fair bit of rotation this week, including Poppy Cleall who is playing in her fourth position for England (prop, lock, flank, now no 8). No Emily Scarratt as we're apparently seeing how we cope without her in case she gets injured in the 2021 RWC. I think we'd be screwed without her no matter what we do, but Lagi Tuima's a decent enough player from what I've seen of her. Nowt wrong with a bit of bosh at 13, especially since we're playing two fly-halves at 10/12.

Puja

[Banquo]

What’s up with Hannah Botterman?

[Puja]

What’s up with Hannah Botterman?

No sign of Bern either. I can only assume we're experimenting in preparation for the RWC.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Scarratt always makes us a better side but its a good idea to stand her down and look at alternatives.

[Mr Mwenda]

Not a great first xv. French are fired up and some basic errors killing English momentum.

[Mr Mwenda]

Not a great first xv. French are fired up and some basic errors killing English momentum.

And then England score a very silly try, hurrah.

[Digby]

I don't think I've seen many refs kick the ball to one side and then ignore that. Against which that's 2 lineouts gone wrong back to back which have caused that problem, and that's nothing to do with the ref

[Mr Mwenda]

England 9 is struggling.

[Digby]

England look better drilled, setpeice aside, but down on some explosive power on certain players. So can France sustain when they couldn't last week?

[Mr Mwenda]

Getting better, but too many errors and subsequent disjointment killing things.

Almost scored again after the French all did some full back play when the England 8 went on the rampage.

[Digby]

About 3 nailed on yellows there

[Digby]

Awful kick from England, they deserve to concede that try

[Mr Mwenda]

Great French try!

[Mr Mwenda]

About 3 nailed on yellows there

Yes, England need to be smarter at showing the ref.

[Digby]

About 3 nailed on yellows there

Yes, England need to be smarter at showing the ref.

They were seen, the ref is just one of those who wants to keep 15 Vs 15 I assume

Beyond that surely we just tap and go from now on, we can't win a lineout and I suspect France will not keep running

[Digby]

My mistake, the ref will find a way to issue a yellow.

[Digby]

And that should be another yellow

[Puja]

That is a yellow, never a red. It's not a big kick, just a shove with a boot. Glad the TMO talked her out of it.

Puja

[Digby]

And another yellow, or should be

[Digby]

That is a yellow, never a red. It's not a big kick, just a shove with a boot. Glad the TMO talked her out of it.

Puja

Maybe, but if you stick your studs on someone you're bloody lucky to stay on the field. I'd have given a red

[Mellsblue]

Well, that’s more entertainment in 10mins than in two matches from the men.

[Mr Mwenda]

Epic period of play, but still frustrating.

[Puja]

And, with that, we give up on trying to win the game with the rotation and without Scarratt and bring on literally the entire bench.

Phenomenal defence from France though - they've earned this level of respect. Remains to be seen whether we can pull it back though.

Puja

[Mr Mwenda]

A day off form. French well worth their lead.

[Mr Mwenda]

Come on England! The burglary is on!