{"id":52584,"date":"2025-04-26T16:48:12","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T16:48:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/52584\/"},"modified":"2025-04-26T16:48:12","modified_gmt":"2025-04-26T16:48:12","slug":"how-england-can-overcome-french-threats-in-grand-slam-decider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/52584\/","title":{"rendered":"How England can overcome French threats in Grand Slam decider"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guinness Women’s Six Nations: England v France<\/strong><\/p>\n

Venue: <\/strong>Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Date:<\/strong> Saturday, 26 April Kick-off:<\/strong> 16:45 BST<\/p>\n

Coverage:<\/strong> Watch live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and online, listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, live text and video highlights on the BBC Sport website and app<\/p>\n

York, Cardiff, Cork, Leicester. It doesn’t matter where England play in the Women’s Six Nations, comfortable bonus-point wins follow.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 59-7 hammering of Scotland<\/a> last weekend means the Red Roses have secured the maximum possible 20 points from their four matches to set up a Grand Slam decider against France at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday.<\/p>\n

John Mitchell’s side have breezed past the competition so far but he has challenged his side to produce the “complete performance” to secure a seventh successive title.<\/p>\n

Les Bleues are also undefeated this campaign and are the last team to beat the Red Roses in the Six Nations back in 2018.<\/p>\n

“It’s something we’ve had a chat about and it’s something we’re keen on. We know it’s there. We’re continually searching for that complete performance,” Mitchell said.<\/p>\n

What areas do England need to get right to once again lift the Six Nations? And what threat do the French pose?<\/p>\n

Win the kicking battle<\/p>\n

France almost stunned England when they last travelled to Twickenham in 2023, when they scored 33 points in an incredible second-half fightback.<\/p>\n

The game finished 38-33<\/a> as France cut loose in attack in the second period, scoring tries from all over the pitch, showing what can happen if you kick inaccurately to their dangerous backs.<\/p>\n

Having scored 141 points in this year’s championship and 21 points in last year’s defeat by Mitchell’s side in Bordeaux<\/a>, Les Bleues remain dangerous in attack through their old-school French flair, meaning accuracy from the boot is needed to win the territorial battle and shut down opportunities.<\/p>\n

Scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus remains a class act – proven in her standout display in a dominant second-half performance against Scotland<\/a> – and has the ability to produce a magic moment from anywhere and at any time.<\/p>\n

Fly-half Carla Arbez is joint-second for kicks in play (52) this championship, a tactic France have avoided using in their previous two encounters with Mitchell’s side.<\/p>\n

“France now attack differently and have a world class nine [Pauline Bourdon Sansus], who is a threat,” Mitchell told BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly.<\/a><\/p>\n

“They focus on kick metres, the 10 [Carla Arbez] is there to move them forward.<\/p>\n

“In Bordeaux, they didn’t kick, maybe seeing how our back three played at Twickenham against Ireland [the week prior], and in our WXV1 warm-up game in September they didn’t kick at all.<\/p>\n

“In this tournament, they have been reliant on kicks from 10, so I’ll be surprised if they don’t come with that.”<\/p>\n

Rapid wing Joanna Grisez is another player England need to keep an eye on after the 28-year-old showed off her sharp finishing ability for the opening score as France fought back to win 34-21<\/a> in Italy last Saturday.<\/p>\n

Mitchell has moved away from Holly Aitchison’s running game at 10 in favour of the tactical kicking of Saracens fly-half Zoe Harrison, who impressed in wins over Wales and Ireland, for the decider.<\/p>\n

Harrison, on a wide Allianz Stadium pitch, is suited to finding space behind France’s back three, and with a strong performance could seal a starting spot before a home Rugby World Cup that starts in August.<\/p>\n

“A big, long kicking game where you can pressure France is going to be huge,” former England fly-half Katy Daley-Mclean told BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly.<\/a><\/p>\n

“France are not going to want to get into a territory battle, they are going to want to have their territory in the 22 when they can dominate with their big carries.”<\/p>\n

Win the breakdown<\/p>\n

Scotland flanker Evie Gallagher was a constant threat at the breakdown in Leicester to record three turnovers, finding particular success in the second half to slow down England’s ball.<\/p>\n

“We could have been more ruthless at the breakdown in the second half [against Scotland],” flanker Marlie Packer told BBC.<\/p>\n

“It’s not about the scoreboard it’s about our individual targets.”<\/p>\n

Prior to the win over Scotland, England struggled in the first half against Ireland, leading only 7-5 at half-time,<\/a> with the hosts also producing vital turnovers to nullify the Red Roses.<\/p>\n

France number eight Teani Feleu is joint-second for turnovers in this year’s Six Nations with four, while lock Manae Feleu is also handy over the ball and has made three steals at the breakdown.<\/p>\n

Les Bleues are likely to take note from Gallagher, who tops the overall stats with eight turnovers, and target England’s breakdown to prevent quick ball reaching their clinical outside backs.<\/p>\n

Captain Zoe Aldcroft is top for attacking ruck arrivals (101) in the competition, and will need more support from the rest of her pack in order to retain the ball.<\/p>\n

Stop France’s pack power & fix maul<\/p>\n

England’s pack have been dominant up front in all four of their wins during this year’s Six Nations.<\/p>\n

Scrum dominance over Ireland resulted in the second-half sin-binning of prop Niamh O’Dowd, which helped England score two tries and swing the game in their favour.<\/p>\n

Scotland scored their first try against England since 2023 from a powerful maul drive on Saturday, with Mitchell also unhappy about his side’s set-piece.<\/p>\n

“We were a little bit untidy. Our maul could have been better and we let them off the hook at times,” he told BBC.<\/p>\n

France second row Manae Feleu has stolen two line-outs this campaign – topped only by England locks Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan – and will be keen to disrupt the Red Roses’ line-out and maul, which was so key in their run to the World Cup final<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>\n

But it is also in the loose where France’s pack will want to go toe-to-toe with the champions, with number eight Teani Feleu and locks Madoussou Fall and Manae Feleu all standout carriers.<\/p>\n

In their past three wins Les Bleues have opted for a 6-2 bench spilt to maintain power from their pack for the full 80 minutes, which they have turned to again for the game on Saturday.<\/p>\n

“France are one of the few packs in the Six Nations that I think can rival what England do,” Daley-Mclean added.<\/p>\n

With 10 offloads between lock pairing of Fall and Feleu, Mitchell’s side will need to target wrapping up the ball as well as the tackler.<\/p>\n

Line-ups<\/p>\n

England:<\/strong> Sing; Dow, Jones, Heard, MacDonald; Harrison, Hunt; Botterman, Atkin-Davies, Muir, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft (capt), Feaunati, Matthews.<\/p>\n

Replacements: Cokayne, Clifford, Bern, Galligan, Burton, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland.<\/p>\n

France:<\/strong> Bourgeois; Grisez, M Menager, Vernier, Arbwy; Arbez, Bourdon; Brosseau, Bigot, Khalfaoui, M Feleu (capt), Fall-Raclot, Escudero, Champon, T Feleu.<\/p>\n

Replacements: Riffonneau, Mwayembe, Bernadou, Zago, Berthoumieu, Maka, Chambon, Queyroi.<\/p>\n

Referee: <\/strong>Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZ)<\/p>\n

TMO:<\/strong> Quinton Immelman (SA)<\/p>\n

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