France v England: If England are half as pumped up in Paris this weekend as Sir Clive Woodward was yesterday after announcing his team line-up, the Six Nations Championship is destined to end with a bang.
France may be the side seeking a Grand Slam but England's coach has vowed not to make it easy for them.
Having unveiled a team featuring the experienced Paul Grayson at outhalf in preference to the more youthful Olly Barkley as well as Joe Worsley in the back row for the injured Chris Jones, Woodward has already done his best to antagonise the French management, insisting that Bernard Laporte's side had been "lucky" to lose by only 24-7 in the World Cup semi-final between the sides in a rainy Sydney last November.
"I think if it had been a good night we'd have hammered them. They were lucky it rained," claimed Woodward, also irritated to read suggestions that England will struggle to rein in the unbeaten French, chasing their fourth Grand Slam in eight seasons.
"It's obvious from reading stories in the press that many people don't think we can beat France. I've listened to the TV and what the experts say in the newspapers, so I know what the general feeling is," he added, brushing aside the case for retaining Barkley despite the Bath outhalf's positive first start against Wales last Saturday.
"Barkley impressed against Wales, but at times he showed a little bit of inexperience. If we're going to beat France we'll need an experienced team out there."
Woodward's acid tone - "I think it's important England fulfil the fixture" - is bound to reinforce the desire across the Channel to reverse the World Cup result, and France's number eight Imanol Harinordoquy, back in a full-strength home team after missing the Scotland game through injury, summed up the Gallic mood perfectly yesterday.
"It's not only about revenge, it's also the final of the tournament and there's a motivation to win and beat the world champions," admitted Harinordoquy, who revealed that France would be specifically targeting the English scrum and lineout.
Guardian Service
ENGLAND: J Robinson (Sale); J Lewsey (Wasps), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Tindall (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); P Grayson (Northampton), M Dawson (Northampton); T Woodman (Gloucester), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester), D Grewcock (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), J Worsley (Wasps), R Hill (Saracens), L Dallaglio (Wasps, capt). Replacements: M Regan (Leeds), J White (Leicester), S Borthwick (Bath), M Corry (Leicester), A Gomarsall (Gloucester), M Catt (Bath), J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester).
FRANCE: N Brusque (Biarritz); P Elhorga (Agen), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), D Traille (Pau), C Dominici (S Francais); F Michalak (Toulouse), D Yachvili (Biarritz); S Marconnet (S Francais), W Servat (Toulouse), P De Villiers (S Francais), F Pelous (Toulouse, capt), P Pape (Bourgoin), S Betsen (Biarritz), O Magne (Montferrand), I Harinordoquy (Pau). Replacements: Y Bru (Toulouse), J Crenca (Agen), D Auradou (S Francais), T Lievremont (Biarritz), P Mignoni (Montferrand), J Peyrelongue (Biarritz), C Poitrenaud (Touluse).
