English hearts still pound furiously every time they cross the Channel for, of all the fixtures in all the world, playing France in Paris retains a unique resonance and no amount of sparkling Twickenham form can ever quite insure against a Gallic thunderbolt when one is least expected.
It was at the cavernous Stade de France two years ago that England sneaked the victory their manager Clive Woodward still holds most dear: a 15-9 success ultimately achieved with 13 men on the field and Mike Catt packing down at flanker. Since then, though, the balance of power has shifted so dramatically that England will cruise into town from their base in Chantilly today much like the Romans in the Asterix comics: supremely confident of brushing aside the plucky locals.
"The only way they can lose is if their bus driver takes a wrong turn driving to the Stade," said France's captain Fabien Galthie, inviting everyone to believe today's Six Nations encounter is less a potential grand-slam decider than a foregone conclusion.
The Martin Johnson phoney war apart, England are in danger of being smothered in admiring French kisses. L'Equipe's headline yesterday - "La Menace Wilkinson" - backed up the contention of France's coach Bernard Laporte that his side are focused more on rugby than retribution.
If France can last the pace, which they failed to do last year, it could be another free-running classic. First, though, England must attend to the basics. The forwards coach Andy Robinson yesterday spoke of scrummaging against France as "the ultimate challenge", a fact none of the Leicester forwards involved in last season's Heineken Cup final against Stade Francais would dispute.
According to prop Graham Rowntree, there is little danger of England underestimating their opponents as they did Ireland last October. "The days of complacency are gone. We've had too many knock-backs in the last few years," he said. "If we pay attention to detail and get our heads right we can take on anybody, but France in France are so unpredictable."
Woodward is equally wary of the praise being heaped on his side - "We don't think we're the best team in the world; my personal opinion is you can only say that if you win a World Cup" - and knows he is running a risk with his replacements. If Wilkinson is forced off early on, Austin Healey will be switched to outhalf but that would leave England without a recognised goalkicker until such time as the debutant Henry Paul is plucked off the bench, potentially not until the last quarter.
Even if he stays on, how can Wilkinson possibly improve on his Irish masterclass of a fortnight ago? England's newly-unmasked D'Artagnan accepts it might prove harder to unsheathe his flashing blade. "We'd love to score lots of tries every week but this is France we're talking about, away in France. Australia and South Africa didn't manage to beat them this season. We've got to be as lively as we can but use the strength of the team as well."
What England expect from les Bleus, in turn, is pace and plenty of it. As Phil Larder revealed this week, France's spirited first half at Twickenham last year led him to review England's whole defensive organisation and, once again, there are fliers in the back row and out wide. It should also not be forgotten that France, like England, have won their last five Tests, nor that 11 of the French side who beat the Wallabies will be reunited.
Crucially, Olivier Magne and Galthie are back and Woodward is anticipating a different French team to the less than impressive version seen against Italy and Wales. "Deep down they've been waiting for this game," said Woodward. "This is the best French side they've put out in this championship."
Even so, for all the promise of number eight Imanol Harinordoquy, England would appear to have the steelier combinations at lock and across the back row and perhaps only Damien Traille would merit a place in any Anglo-French back line. It must also be doubtful whether the gap between the two sides' fitness has fully closed, as Magne insists it has. If England play anything like as well as they did against Ireland they should win by 10 points.
- Guardian Service
