France face "hardest match" en route to slam

"This is going to be the hardest match of the year, at least of the Six Nations," said coach Bernard Laporte. "There are new players ... they are certainly better than those from before who didn’t win.

PERFORM NOW

"England must perform now, they have players who are going to want to impose themselves six months ahead of the World Cup."

With his own eyes fixed on the ultimate rugby prize on home soil later this year, Laporte has picked, and used, a massive squad and as much by luck as judgement seems to have stumbled on his best formations.

So, of course, he has changed them again for Sunday’s Twickenham clash when he will field his 29th halfback pairing since taking over the job in 1999.

He has recalled scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili, who has put England to the sword on the last three occasions he met them, while Sale number eight Sebastien Chabal also returns to add power to the back row.

In the third change to the starting team which defeated Wales 32-21 Pieter de Villiers is back at tighthead.

Yachvili has had to perform from the bench so far as Pierre Mignoni impressed during the wins over Italy, Ireland and Wales.

’ELEPHANT KEEPER’

However, the man described by manager Jo Maso as the "elephant keeper" for his guiding work with the forwards, reclaimed the starting berth on the back of his 19, 18 and 16-point hauls in the last three wins over England and lines up inside David Skrela.

Ashton’s changes are more the result of desperation and only three players retain their starting positions. The injury absence of Jonny Wilkinson and captain Phil Vickery and the ineffective efforts of the pack in Dublin led to his latest new-look line-up.

Ashton, never a man to hide behind empty talk, said this week that England’s players needed to recognise that they were now in the second division of world rugby and had to start climbing the ladder again fast.

To that end he has recalled 35-year-old Mike Catt to not only add class and experience to his midfield but also to take over the captaincy in his first Six Nations start for six years.

With Toby Flood making his first start inside him at flyhalf, Catt’s calming influence and faultless decision-making will be vital on Sunday just as it was when England wobbled in the 2003 World Cup.

Tom Rees makes his first start in a mobile-looking back row alongside Joe Worsley and number eight Nick Easter, former captain Martin Corry is shifted for a rare outing in the second row while another ex-skipper Jason Robinson returns on the wing after missing the Ireland game through injury.

England - 15-Josh Lewsey; 14-David Strettle, 13-Mike Tindall, 12-Mike Catt, 11-Jason Robinson; 10-Toby Flood, 9-Harry Ellis; 8-Nick Easter, 7-Tom Rees, 6-Joe Worsley, 5-Tom Palmer, 4-Martin Corry, 3-Julian White, 2-George Chuter, 1-Tim Payne

Replacements: 16-Lee Mears, 17-Stuart Turner, 18-Louis Deacon, 19-Magnus Lund, 20-Shaun Perry, 21-Shane Geraghty, 22-Mathew Tait.

France - 15-Clement Poitrenaud; 14-Vincent Clerc, 13-David Marty, 12-Yannick Jauzion, 11-Christophe Dominici; 10-David Skrela, 9-Dimitri Yachvili; 8-Sebastien Chabal, 7-Julien Bonnaire, 6-Serge Betsen, 5-Jerome Thion, 4-Lionel Nallet, 3-Pieter de Villiers, 2-Raphael Ibanez (captain), 1-Olivier Milloud.

Replacements: 16-Sebastien Bruno, 17-Nicolas Mas, 18-Pascal Pape, 19-Imanol Harinordoquy, 20-Pierre Mignoni, 21-Lionel Beauxis, 22-Cedric Heymans.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)