England Rugby

Everything you need to know about England's crunch Six Nations 2023 match against France at Twickenham. Rugby Union - Six Nations Championship - Wales v ...

France’s physicality has been the base for their success and Paul Willemse sits at the bottom of that pyramid as one of rugby union’s most imposing figures. Despite the height advantage Willemse holds over the Saracens forward, Itoje’s athleticism and intelligent interferences may make up what he concedes in strength. Itoje is also an excellent lineout jumper and has a superb ability to disrupt opposition set-piece plays. The duo take to the pitch again this weekend as Courtney Lawes has had to bow out with a shoulder injury. Ntamack, on the other hand, is a calm and composed playmaker, who is renowned for his tactical kicking and vision. Dupont is known for his lightning-fast acceleration and quick decision-making, which allows him to create opportunities for his teammates with ease. Particularly as Farrell has struggled off the tee with a kicking success rate of merely 47 per cent in the first three rounds. Opposite Lawrence and his centre partner Henry Slade is Gael Fickou at 13. Fickou will cause trouble for both Lawrence, Slade, and even Smith. The 9 and 10 began their partnership in England’s dismal autumn, but may yet flourish under Borthwick’s regime. It’s a big call, and one that could pay off in a big way. [dropped in a bombshell move from England head coach Steve Borthwick](https://inews.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/owen-farrell-dropped-why-marcus-smith-selection-explained-england-captain-vs-france-2200424?ico=in-line_link), with [Marcus Smith starting at fly-half against France](https://inews.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/england-team-vs-france-starting-line-up-replacements-six-nations-2023-fixture-2197820?ico=in-line_link) after two brief cameos from the bench against Italy and [Wales](https://inews.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/six-nations-2023-anthony-watson-england-progress-steve-borthwick-wooden-spoon-beckons-wales-2174144?ico=in-line_link).

Saturday 2:15pm – Italy v Wales Wales to Win Saturday 4:45pm – England v France France Halftime/Fulltime. A double with these bets pays at approximately 7/2 ...

I think France will win comfortably against England on Saturday. We haven’t seen the best of France yet but I think we’ll do so on Saturday against the auld enemy. Italy taking on Wales is a bit of a tricky game.

England's chief coach Steve Borthwick has put his reputation on the line with a remarkable selection decision ahead of Saturday's crucial match against ...

"We still have them in our grasp so we obviously acknowledge and talk about it and make sure that we deal with the pressure that comes with that, but it's a privileged position to be going for it." Italy are in the uncommon position of being favourites for a Six Nations match as they host troubled Wales in Rome on Saturday, battling to avoid yet another Six Nations wooden spoon. "I feel that this is the right blend," he added of a side in which Smith is the only change to the starting XV that defeated Wales 20-10 in Cardiff two weeks ago.

The two countries clash at Twickenham tonight in what amounts to a Six Nations title eliminator. Marcus Smith has been given the keys to No.10 yet it is the ...

“Twickenham is a temple of world rugby, where rugby was born,” he said. “In 90% of the cases we’ve done that. We respect them because they’re rigorous, proud, when they sing God Save the King.” even if they aren't at their best. “Smith knows how to do it, he might be more dangerous than Farrell,” said the scrum-half. If we look at our path for four years, and 33 matches, we’ve always battled to win games.

Steve Borthwick's hosts are aiming for a hat-trick of consecutive wins to further boost confidence after Italy and Wales were seen off to banish memories of ...

One of his vice-skippers, prop Ellis Genge, will lead the team instead. It's a bold decision from Borthwick but one he hopes will pay off handsomely as England ...

It is a bit of a mystery at the moment. I thought we would get a measure of where we are at, there is a big gap between us and the top teams in the world. We are way off where we want to be. “It was a very special game for us and we tried to make it count. “We played the way we wanted to play... "Certainly you have to give immense credit to France and they are clearly a world-class team. “That is one of our worst performances and we were punished numerous times. Thibaud Flament crossed twice, so did Charles Ollivon and the excellent Thomas Ramos claimed a try to boot. “It was great to score. It shows we’re on the right path. It’s our biggest performance in a while.” Thibaut Flament, Charles Ollivon and Damian Penaud all notched braces for France, who got a very early score from the sublime Thomas Ramos as they won by a staggering 43 points, 53-10.

Marcus Smith starts at fly half as England host France at Twickenham in Le Crunch.

Boos at the full time whistle of an England home fixture for the second time in a matter of months. Antoine Dupont, Gael Fickou, Thomas Ramos and Gregory Alldritt were all outstanding for the visitors, to name just four from a complete dismantling of an inferior side. “France are brilliant, there’s a reason they are number two in the world. You’d say Borthwick might be inclined to go back to his appointed captain in Dublin, but almost anything is surely now on the table. “We were well beaten by 43 points; when you play like that against a team so well coached and with ability like that, that’s going to happen. They played well, we played poorly - we have to learn from it and be better. England were shambolic, as their opponents dominated every facet of the game and scored seemingly at will. [France](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/france-rugby) aren’t even the best team in this [Six Nations](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/six-nations). Any credit Borthwick had built up as an ex-England captain, with an impressive coaching CV early in his career and as the ideal, straightforward man to follow the drama of the unpopular Eddie Jones era has likely been extinguished. “I think that we are incredibly disappointed with the performance. The main bearing on the game was the contact area. Never before, in 152 years of playing international rugby, had an England team suffered a home defeat this heavy.

Marcus Smith's introduction to the starting XV couldn't inspire England to a result against France, who secured their first Six Nations win at Twickenham ...

That applied the finishing touches to England's biggest home loss in history (or Five and Four Nations, for that matter), highlighting a dire need for changes ahead of this year's "We played the way we wanted to play. That try illustrated the gulf in impetus between the two teams, with England lacking the alertness and physicality of their guests. It shows we're on the right path." France flexed their ingenuity for Ollivon's brace in particular, the back-rower nonchalantly reaching over England's ruck to dot down following Ramos' all-too-simple break and chip deep into enemy territory. "We got exposed today," he told Stand-in fly-half Smith briefly narrowed the lead with a paltry penalty soon after, only for France to hit back before the break. We probably have to be better in the contact area which is on the forwards." The Red Rose showed signs of blooming in an improved second half but was left with too much to do after heading in at the break 27-3 down. [Bristol](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/bristol-rugby)'s [Ellis Genge](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/ellis-genge) said he 'wouldn't sugar coat' his analysis after standing in as captain for the absent Farrell, praising the "brilliant" Bleus while adding England "are way off where we want to be." Charles Ollivon, Thibaud Flament and Damian Penaud each scored two tries apiece as Les Bleus banked their first Six Nations win at Headquarters since 2005. [Steve Borthwick](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/steve-borthwick)'s [England](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/england-rugby-union-team) revolution stalled at Twickenham on Saturday after [France](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/france-rugby-union-team) flew to a record-breaking 53-10 [Six Nations](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/six-nations) win in hostile territory.

England player ratings vs France as Steve Borthwick's men looked to make it three wins in a row in the 2023 Six Nations.

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England will be hoping to put pressure on Ireland at the top of the Six Nations standings as they take on France in Le Crunch at Twickenham.

To be able to have Owen [Farrell] to come on and finish the game' But England undo their hard work conceding a penalty for handling the ball on the floor. But play is called back by the referee as England have the advantage and kick to the corner with the resulting penalty. England recover the ball and clear their lines. France have certainly got off on the front foot, with England making several mistakes. According to Opta, their 24-point lead is the largest any side has had at half time over England in the Six Nations. The home side have not quite mounted a fluid attack yet. I thought it was a well selected team [England], I thought it was the best selected team he could have put out. But just the physicality and the athleticism of the French team was amazing. It looks as though the French openside Ollivon may have scored with the TMO checking now! Fickou's excellent vision see's Alex Dombrant mismatched against Penaud on the wing, and while Dombrant gets the tap on the France 14, he can't quite bring him down. I think I sugar-coat it, probably one of the worst performances we’ve had.

The previous biggest margin England had lost to France by was 25 points, in both 1972 and 2006. France were champions in that year's Six Nations and beat ...

But the French were relentless, regardless. France scored seven tries, and it all began with eventual player of the match Thomas Ramos. The previous biggest margin England had lost to France by was 25 points, in both 1972 and 2006. France were champions in that year’s Six Nations and beat England 31-6. England found themselves le Crunch-ed at home by the biggest margin ever as Twickenham witnessed a France record win over the hosts. It finished England 10-53 France.

England endured their biggest ever home defeat as France scored seven tries in a 53-10 thrashing.

England player ratings live from Twickenham: This was savage, a brutal record beating as England were blown away by France.

[Henry Arundell](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/henry-arundell/) – 3.5 Quickly upped the tempo and gave the assist for Steward. An awful day ended with Penaud leaving him for dead for the first of his late tries. Was the other player involved in not preventing the offload on halfway that got France up and running with their opening score. Similar to Sinckler, he badly fell foul of referee O’Keeffe in the opening 15 minutes and was always on the back foot from there. Looked to be improving during February, but this display was a dire collapse as he was outfought by the opposition grunt. First-time captain endured a horrible experience in which he contributed to his team’s slow start with a deflating 12th-minute knock-on. That gave the French a soft mark to clear from their 22. His 60-minute appearance went from bad to worse after that. No one could quibble that he didn’t deserve his place, but he was blown away here and hooked on 46 for Farrell. That tick has now been well and truly inked, the swashbuckling Les Bleus’ winning at English Rugby HQ for the first time since 2005. All that palaver was marked absent in a filthy rout where their back row essentially never got off the bus.

France put in a masterclass of a performance as they hammered England 53-10 in a record-breaking showing in the Six Nations on Saturday.

[England](https://www.planetrugby.com/team/england)‘s only crossing of the evening as this was a chastening defeat that will no doubt sting Steve Borthwick and his players. Flament was exceptional, Ramos phenomenonal, Fickou and Danty perfect, Dupont was Dupont. France absolutely and totally dominant. Flament crossed in the 26th minute but it was too easy for the lock as passive England were overpowered in contact. Antoine Dupont grew in influence as he weaved his magic around the ruck but it was the power of forwards François Cros and Flament that did the damage for the next try. [France](https://www.planetrugby.com/team/france) who raced out of the blocks and when lock Paul Willemse offloaded out of the tackle they were away, with Ethan Dumortier sending Ramos over in the left corner.

We are fast approaching kick off at Twickenham Stadium, with little under an hour to go before the 2023 edition of 'Le Crunch'. England and France have met ...

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England fell to a record 53-10 defeat to France in Round Four of the 2023 Six Nations. Planet Rugby looks through the stats and facts behind the loss.

2007 – The last time England lost to France at Twickenham. That was all the way back in 1972. At Twickenham the biggest HT deficit had been 5-28 to NZ in 2006. 2005 – The year that England last lost a Six Nations match to France at Twickenham. 53 – The new record number of points scored against England at Twickenham. 9 – The number of times in succession that England had beaten France at Twickenham.

France's demolition job at Twickenham has become a subject of hot top throughout the rugby world, with plenty of big names weighing in.

This is a big page of French history which was written today in a stadium which means so much to the world of rugby. "Extremely proud of the performance. "The whole of the French pack were just amazing. You have to give credit to the coaching staff for the decision-making and team selection. Completely over the moon and overwhelmed by the quality of rugby France are able to play. "We need to find that solid ground from which we can start building, and we haven't quite found it yet. In 1998, it was a real cleansing opportunity to realise the story of who I thought I was couldn't carry on, it was forced to change, and in that change I found new possibilities. It's the mentality of the teams. Start of the second half, France kick short, they are trying to get the ball all the time. But the physicality and athleticism of the French team was just amazing. "When you're out there anyway against a great back row like the French back row but a back row who are crazy up for it – he was left wanting. I think there were moments with individuals where you thought when it comes to it, maybe they just don't have the mentality to play at that level.

Both the England head coach and captain were left to reflect on a chastening 53-10 defeat against France at Twickenham.

“France are brilliant and have shown why they are No 2 in the world and we are way off where we want to be. We probably need to be a lot better in the contact area and that is down to the forwards. We have a lot of work to do and it shows where we are at. We have to make sure we don’t allow the opposition momentum as we did. “I said we would have a good understanding of where we are at the end of the championship and how much work [there is] to do. Borthwick said: “No one is under any illusions about what we have to do, we have been upfront about that, and this shows exactly the stark reality.

The fly-half debate will rage on after Marcus Smith failed in conditions that George Ford would have been much better suited to.

For the briefest of moments, there was a crackle of anticipation: could England mount the kind of comeback seen against New Zealand not so long ago? Smith’s inclusion was cause for England supporters to quicken their step to the stadium but his first touch was the kick-off, his second was doing so again after Thomas Ramos’s opening try. And if England are going to play that kind of way, there is no one better than Ford to steer the ship. The point here is that for all that you can commend trying to inject tempo, it was naive in the extreme not to realise that this was the kind of afternoon for a more austere approach. That he battled through it, and through an obvious reluctance by his teammates to give him the ball, to produce the telling moment of his match was to his immense credit. It may have been a few years ago, the head coach and some of the personnel may have changed but there are some players who remain.

An Irish television panel have torn into the expectation in English rugby that the selection of Marcus Smith would prove a panacea for an...

I’m not criticising the young man in any way – but it was delusional, it was delusional to think that the problems of that team were around Marcus. “Borthwick is finding out that this is not Leicester, this is not the Premiership, this is much bigger than that. He’s really searching for something to say. The team was completely overwhelmed and now appear to be again in the midst of a full-blown crisis, as France systematically dismantled them up front. Not just 1 through 15 – 1 through 23.” They were shockingly poor in every aspect.