France Women v Red Roses: preview, teams and stats
As the Red Roses prepare for the Women's Six Nations opener, here are all facts, stats and team news ahead of the fixture.
England have an excellent recent record against France having faced them four times in 2019 and won all four meetings.
That included a first win on French soil since 2012 when they won 20-10 in November and backed that up with a last-minute Lydia Thompson scrore to beat Les Bleus in the Quilter International at Sandy Park.
France - the 2018 champions - have former World Rugby Women's Player of the Year Jessy Tremouliere starting at full back and Pauline Bourdon at fly half.
- When? Sunday 2 February
- Kick-off? 1230 GMT
- Where? Stade du Hameau, Pau
- Coverage? Watch on Sky One, Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports YouTube, follow England Rugby Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
VIEWS FROM THE CAMP
England head coach Simon Middleton: “As you saw in the autumn and in all of our most recent contests, games between the two sides are always tight, cagey affairs and we don’t expect this one to be any different. France are an intelligent side with an excellent team and coaching set-up. It’s important that we focus on our game and it’s a huge opportunity for a number of our starting players to show what they can do.
“When you play France away, it’s imperative you take the game to them and don’t sit back. You need to impose your game on them or they will run you all over the field. We don’t intend to let them do that come Sunday lunchtime.”
France head coach: "There are some positions where we had big discussions because there is a lot of competition in this France team, for example in the second row where Safi N’Diaye will be on the bench. In the half-backs we’ve already seen a little of this partnership with Pauline Bourdon at fly half. We also picked the team with a view to our opponent.
“We have to make choices and find the best partnerships. We have 30-35 players who would be able to star this game against England."
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
- 16 November 2019: England 17-15 France
- 9 November 2019: France 10-20 England
- 10 July 2019: England 20-18 France
- 10 February 2019: England 41-26 France
- 10 March 2018: France 18-17 England
- 22 August 2017: England 20-3 France
- 4 February 2017: England 26-13 France
- 9 November 2017: England 10-5 France
- 18 March 2016: France 17-12 England
- 21 March 2015: England 15-21 France
KEY STATS
- The Red Roses have won their last four meetings in a row against France
- Vickii Cornborough is set to win her 50th cap, while Amelia Harper will make her debut
- England won 12 of their 13 games in 2019, including a Grand Slam in the Women’s Six Nations last year
- England sit second in the World Rugby rankings just behind New Zealand with France (fourth), Italy (seventh), Wales (eighth) and Ireland (10th) the other teams in the tournament
- Simon Middleton’s side have won their last 17 matches in a row on home soil
- Since the first Women’s Five Nations championship in 1999, England are the most successful side having won 13 titles with 12 of those wins a Grand Slam
- Emily Scarratt was named World Rugby’s Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in Japan in November, the first England player to win the award since Sarah Hunter in 2016
TEAMS
France
15. Jessy Trémoulière, 14. Caroline Boujard, 13. Camille Boudaud, 12. Gabrielle Vernier, 11. Cyrielle Banet, 10. Pauline Bourdon, 9. Laure Sansus; 1. Lise Arricastre, 2. Agathe Sochat, 3. Annaëlle Deshaye, 4. Audrey Forlani, 5. Madoussou Fall, 6. Céline Férer, 7. Gaëlle Hermet (C), 8. Romane Ménager.
Replacements
16. Caroline Thomas, 17. Maïlys Traoré, 18. Clara Joyeux, 19. Safi N’Diaye, 20. Julie Annery, 21. Morgane Peyronnet, 22. Nassira Kondé, 23. Marine Ménager.
England
15. Sarah McKenna, 14. Abby Dow, 13. Emily Scarratt (VC), 12. Zoe Harrison, 11. Jess Breach, 10. Katy Daley-McLean, 9. Natasha Hunt; 1. Hannah Botterman, 2. Amy Cokayne, 3. Shaunagh Brown, 4. Poppy Cleall, 5. Zoe Aldcroft, 6. Sarah Beckett, 7. Vicky Fleetwood, 8. Sarah Hunter (C).
Finishers
16. Lark Davies, 17. Vickii Cornborough, 18. Sarah Bern, 19. Harriet Millar-Mills, 20. Amelia Harper, 21. Leanne Riley, 22. Amber Reed, 23. Emily Scott.
