England are under orders to hit France with “savage” physicality when the two giants of women’s rugby collide in today’s Grand Slam decider.
Tickets for the Six Nations showdown in Bayonne between two unbeaten teams, ranked one and three in the world, sold out more than a month ago.
England have won their last 22 Tests, have not lost in the Six Nations since 2018 and only once in eight matches this season have failed to top 50 points.
But France gave them all manner of problems last season, particularly at scrum time, and it took cast iron defence for England to escape to victory.
Enter Louis Deacon as new forwards coach and the former Leicester and England lock has wasted no time sharpening them up.
“He has driven the standards, making sure we have the right mindset going into mauls and scrums,” said world player of the year Zoe Aldcroft.
“He wants us to be absolutely savage out there, get into them and beat their physicality. The rivalry between England and France is fierce. There is no love lost on the pitch.”
In the first four rounds each nation won with maximum points, barely conceding a try. England scored 42 of them to France’s 20.
“Each week we talk about how we want this ‘savage’ mindset to look,” Aldcroft added. “How we want to think about it. What it looks and sounds like on the pitch.
“We do what we call physical pressure practise sessions, where we have to react and make good decisions in the heat of it when heavily fatigued.
“All that work is designed to equip us for a day like this when everything is on the line. To be comfortable when it’s uncomfortable.”
At stake for the Red Roses is more than a 17th title and 15th Grand Slam in 26 tournaments, it is the chance to strike a blow ahead of the World Cup in New Zealand.
The two nations are drawn in Pool C and will meet in Whangarei on October 15.
“France in France is probably the toughest game we can play in world rugby at this moment in time,” conceded team boss Simon Middleton.
Victory at Stade Jean Dauger would see the French leapfrog world champions New Zealand to No2 in the rankings.
England expect a febrile atmosphere and arrived five days early in Bayonne, the capital of French Basque Country, to give themselves ample time to acclimatise.
“We know the crowd will be loud but we’re going to relish it,” warned Aldcroft. “Far from intimidate us it will gives us that edge to want it more.”
England: Rowland; Thompson, Scarratt (capt), Aitchison, Breach; Harrison, Infante; Cornborough, Davies, Bern, Aldcroft, Ward, Matthews, Packer, Cleall.
Repl: Cokayne, Botterman, Muir, Galligan, Beckett, Kabeya, Hunt, Kildunne.
France: Jacquet; Boujard, Filopon, Vernier, M Menager; Drouin, Sansus; Deshayes, Sochat, Joyeux, Fall, Forlani, Ferer, Hermet (capt), R Menager.
Repl: Touye, Lindelhauf, Brosseau, Annery, Gros, Chambon, Tremouliere, Boulard.
