Six Nations England v FranceIt is enunciated in the hushed, funereal tones of mourning. France and England's pre-eminence in the Six Nations Championship can no longer be taken as read. There has been a seismic shift in this season's tournament with the aristocracy in danger of being nudged aside by the nouveau riche.
Ireland began the tournament as favourites in some eyes, while Wales, on the opening weekend of the championship, had the temerity to chasten an England team before sending them back over the Severn, beaten and bemused.
France somehow escaped the guillotine, the intervention of the match officials and a fortuitous block down helping them to escape at the Stade de France when Scotland's display probably warranted a victory that day.
Tomorrow at Twickenham England and France will try to re-establish some credibility and put forward a more representative offering of their qualities. The losers here will have to spend the next fortnight with their heads well below the parapet. The pressure is perhaps a little more acute for England coach Andy Robinson and his men.
They've lost one match already - they can't now win the Triple Crown or the Grand Slam - and host the French in their own citadel. In some media outlets the traditional historical metaphors and references have been bandied about like a rallying cry though the parallels between Agincourt and tomorrow's game at Twickenham are not immediately obvious.
England are in transition, the retirement of Martin Johnson and Lawrence Dallaglio in particular and subsequent injury foibles of Jonny Wilkinson and Will Greenwood leaving the national side a little short on uncompromising, unrelenting desire, not to mention leadership.
No team can afford that sort of attrition in terms of outstanding personnel (as Ireland may learn today) and Robinson is still experimenting as he tries to address several issues. The performance against Wales was a real low, not simply because England lost but more so the abject manner of defeat. It has registered judging by the comments of captain and full back Jason Robinson.
"Last week, everyone under-performed from one to 15 - and we know at this level you can't do that too many times. We realise the expectation and the pressure and we get paid to perform under that pressure, so this is what we are all about. We've just got to do it tomorrow.
"'I think at times you need to say what needs to be said. It's not easy sometimes, taking things on the chin, but I think I am happy enough to say what needs to be said. If that is giving people a kick up the backside then I will do it. But everyone knows that last week was very disappointing, and the main thing now is how we react to that."
English supporters will be hoping their captain delivers on those words for when his team looked for inspiration at the Millennium Stadium, Robinson retreated to the shadows. There is no better broken-field runner in world rugby but against Wales he was content to kick away possession more often than was healthy for his team.
Indeed the kicking game was a particular problem as Charlie Hodgson was a brittle, hesitant replica of the model that drives Sale in the Premiership. Olly Barkley is beamed in to offer a kicking alternative while 19-year-old Mathew Tait must wait until his physique is capable of absorbing the blows of Test-match rugby.
Harry Ellis is given a first starting role in the number nine jersey while up front Lewis Moody and Martin Corry are restored to the back row. The Leicester trio will give the team a little more grit and athletic ability.
Corry was in superb form prior to sustaining the dislocated elbow that has kept him sidelined for the past six weeks. His match fitness remains an imponderable.
Phil Vickery's return in place of Julian White shouldn't diminish the English scrum, especially if one considers the evidence of last week when Wales certainly didn't seem in too much discomfort. English hooker Steve Thompson's lineout wobbles resurfaced last week but don't seem to have chipped away at his confidence.
"I have got one of those reputations about my throwing arm. I miss a couple, the other hooker misses a couple, but people just talk about me. I take it on the chin, " he said.
French coach Bernard Laporte also wielded the selectorial axe. Dimitri Yachvili comes in at scrumhalf for Pierre Mignoni and will take over the kicking duties from Yann Delaigue and Damien Traille, both of whom disappointed against the Scots. Jimmy Marlu replaces the more physically imposing Aurelien Rougerie on the wing.
Up front Laporte has gone for sheer physical power in the front row by promoting Perpignan prop Nicolas Mas (Pieter de Villiers is injured) and Sale hooker Sebastien Bruno, the latter in place of William Servat. Serge Betsen returns to the back row. French team manager Jo Maso said during the week that some of the changes related to squad rotation: the nicer way of dropping people.
France's back three don't quite carry the spark of previous incumbents and the midfield has sacrificed flair in favour of physique. The half-back partnership is long on ability but both players are hampered by a volatile temperament. Up front England are not likely to be cowed by the French pack, although Sebastien Chabal might quickly disabuse them of that notion.
France don't seem to quite have the cachet of their predecessors and look a little lightweight because of injuries. England, for all their travails and buoyed by home advantage, should just about be good enough.
