England v France:As Brian Ashton awaits the most significant home Test of his short tenure as head coach, he believes there are similarities with England's build-up to the 1999 World Cup.
Given Clive Woodward's team crashed and burned in the quarter-finals of that tournament, it is hardly the most rousing of Le Crunch battle cries. If France were not suspicious of a Twickenham ambush already, they will be now.
The build-up to what used to be the most emotionally charged contest of the year has certainly been too damn quiet. In between licking their wounds from Croke Park and welcoming new players, England have failed to lob any meaningful insults across the Channel and, anyway, they quite like the French these days.
Ashton has long been a fan of their backline genius, and certain visiting pack members are local heroes at Wasps and Sale.
Nor are the historical omens good. Given that France have travelled to London in 1967, 1977, 1987 and 1997 and won every time, why should 2007 be any different?
That, at least, is the cunningly downbeat scenario being painted by Ashton. Having consigned England to the second division of world rugby this week, he even confessed yesterday that he has no idea what his best side is. "I feel we're at the stage we were before the 1999 World Cup when we're still not quite sure of the starting XV or the World Cup squad. That's the position we're in . . . there is a lot of ground to make up."
On the surface, that might imply a certain resignation about today's outcome. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The record 43-13 defeat in Ireland merely confirmed Ashton's firm view that England need to alter the way they play, not just shuffle individuals about. The need for extra speed is self-evident, but he is equally determined to ensure his men play with their hearts and minds.
"The Irish game did clarify one or two things, not so much about the players but the way we played. The most disappointing thing was that we looked as if we didn't want to challenge Ireland. I would have thought one or two players will also see this as an opportunity they weren't expecting to put down a marker for the South Africa tour and the World Cup in France."
In other words, Ashton has had a gutful of passivity. At the very least he wants forwards and backs alike to ask more questions of the unbeaten France than any previous opponents.
Without Jonny Wilkinson, Andy Farrell and captain Phil Vickery, the main cast has changed significantly and so, the coach hopes, has the script. He will expect Nick Easter and Tom Rees to provide a more mobile edge, the recast front five to restore some lost pride and Toby Flood, starting for the first time at number 10, to prove there is more than one gifted international outhalf in Newcastle.
It remains, nevertheless, a ferociously tough assignment, and France, unbeaten against England since 2003, are perfectly capable of neutering Mike Catt's bunch of waifs and strays before flashing their sharp claws. Even Dimitri Yachvili, who has scored 53 of France's 73 points in their past three successive victories, still needs a good game to keep ahead of Pierre Mignoni.
Theoretically, England can still win the championship and France's biggest winning margin against them at Twickenham is a mere eight points. Even so, the reconditioned home pack simply has to crank it up, and Ashton, bluffing aside, knows it.
"I'm expecting a massive performance from the pack and they're very fired up. They were upset by their performance in Dublin and I'm sure those involved at Croke Park will want to show they're better players than they looked in Ireland. You won't beat France playing on the back foot."
Guardian Service
