England Makes Lineup Change for Clash with France in Guinness Six Nations
England has made a single change to their lineup for the upcoming match against France in the Guinness Six Nations. Ollie Chessum has been selected as the blindside flanker, while the backline remains unchanged from the previous match. Fin Smith will continue as the fly-half for the team's visit to Paris. The back row has been adjusted with Chessum at six and Guy Pepper moving to openside, replacing Sam Underhill, who will be on the bench for this game. This change aims to strengthen England's line-out and provide more ballast against France's formidable forwards.
Chessum, the 25-year-old Leicester captain, primarily plays in the second row and has previous experience at blindside flanker during the 2024 Six Nations. If Underhill and Marcus Smith come off the bench, they will earn their 50th caps for England. Despite making nine changes and three positional switches in the previous match against Italy, England suffered a historic defeat. The team will be looking to bounce back in their final game of the Championship against France.
The defeat to Italy has put pressure on head coach Steve Borthwick, who received a vote of confidence from the Rugby Football Union. However, there is uncertainty about his future beyond the summer tour, with an investigation planned after the Six Nations. England is on track to finish the tournament in fifth place, with only one victory so far. The upcoming match against France will be a tough challenge, but England is gearing up for the occasion and looking to put on a strong performance.
The England team for the match against France includes players like Elliot Daly, Tom Roebuck, and Maro Itoje. The replacements feature Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ben Rodd, and Mark Smith among others. The team is ready to face France in what promises to be a thrilling encounter under the lights in Paris. The England-France rivalry is one of the most storied in international rugby, and both teams will be aiming to secure a victory in this crucial match.