Six Nations: Four ways England can spoil France Grand Slam party

England coach Eddie Jones knows a surprise victory would ease gathering pressure on him after an underwhelming campaign

It is 67 years since a Wales team travelled to Colombes on the north-west edge of Paris and denied the hosts a Grand Slam.

Since then, on four occasions when the Grand Slam has been on the line on home turf, France have converted their chance to win the clean sweep.

England will have to overturn recent form as well as decades-old history to win on Saturday night.

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France have been the team of the tournament, seeing off all-comers with a combination of forward grit and backline stardust. By contrast, England have been patchy in both performances and results, and could finish fifth for the second Six Nations running.

The odds are against England, but France have revealed some slight weaknesses over the course of the campaign. Here are four frailties for the underdogs to get their teeth into.

1. Get stuck into Jaminet

Jaminet (far right) fails to get off the ground as Mack Hansen claims Joey Carbery's kick off and scores

Melvyn Jaminet showed off accuracy from the tee on this week with a trick-shot viral video of him hitting the upright from square on to the posts.

The France full-back will have been doing as much work on catching than kicking this week though.

England brutally exposed France's backfield limitations in a 44-8 win at Twickenham three years ago, finding space time and again behind full-back Yoann Huget.

There is no such glaring weakness in the class of 2022. But Jaminet can be got at.

In the first round, Italy's only try came after he spilled a box-kick to put France into defensive disarray.

A week later, he called to collect Ireland's kick-off but was caught flat-footed as Mack Hansen gathered over his head and raced into the corner for an extraordinary score. In Cardiff last weekend, Jaminet again looked fidgety under the high ball.

England took to the air to great effect in their 14-man rearguard action last weekend, combining accuracy with a hounds-of-hell chase to repel Ireland.

"The pressure England put on France through kicking is going to be huge," former England fly-half Danny Cipriani told Rugby Union Daily on Monday.

"The choice of kick and the chase is going to be everything."

England coach Eddie Jones seems to agree. His line-up shuffle, bringing in George Furbank at full-back and moving Freddie Steward out to the wing, is designed to give England the upper hand when boot goes to ball.

Jaminet will have to be ready.

2. Itoje's eye on Dupont

Itoje (right) has been in fine form for England during the Six Nations

The threat of France's scrum-half Antoine Dupont is no secret. The World Player of the Year is France's captain and fulcrum.

Of the four scrum-halves to have started every one of their team's games during this Six Nations campaign, he has made more carries, more metres and kicked further and more frequently than any other.

Fortunately for England, they have a possible antidote.

Maro Itoje was at his spoiling best against Ireland, timing a dive over a ruck perfectly to disrupt Jamison Gibson-Park and force the knock-on that denied Caelan Doris a try a few moments later.

It was just one of a number of occasions on which Itoje jammed up Ireland's attacking gears.

Itoje has form in bullying opposing nines as well. Exhibit A was at Twickenham last year when he targeted Scotland's Ali Price.

In a game England ultimately lost, Itoje charged down a series of box kicks and loomed every time the scrum-half got his head up.

Will Jones deploy him on a similar man-to-man mission around the fringes once again?

3. Up for the line-out fight

France's reliance on Cameron Woki in the line-out could be a weakness

With Courtney Lawes playing at flanker and Nick Isiekwe joining Saracens' team-mate Itoje in the second row, England have a raft of well-drilled options in the line-out.

France are less blessed.

Cameron Woki is their go-to call. And a good one. But France are short of alternatives and decoys. Paul Willemse's power keeps the engine room chugging, but his 20-stone frame does not fly up so easily between lifters.

Wales' selection of the versatile Seb Davies in the back row against France gave them a similar multitude of threats and put Julien Marchand's throwing under pressure.

Jones wondered aloud earlier in the week if France might mix it up, perhaps by promoting Thibaud Flament from the bench to shore up their line-out.

"The line-out will be a key contest in the game," he said.

"Whether they bring in another jumper we'll just have to wait and see."

France haven't. And now, the onus is on England to prove they should have done.

4. Bank on France self-combusting

Fabien Galthie (left) succeeded Jacques Brunel as head coach after the 2019 Rugby World Cup

And finally, the great imponderable: pressure.

France haven't won a Grand Slam in 12 years. They have not gone into the final round with the possibility still alive since either. It is a new situation for a generation of players and, in front of an expectant home crowd, the pressure will blow the top off the barometer.

The closest France have come to a Grand Slam since 2010 was their run in 2020. They tripped up in round four when Mohamed Hoauas' 37th-minute red card for a haymaker on Jamie Ritchie gave them too much to do against Scotland.

Six months earlier, France were 19-10 up at half-time of the World Cup quarter-final before Sebastien Vahaamahina elbowed Aaron Wainwright in the head and opened the gate for a Wales comeback.

France's discipline has been spotless so far in this campaign. They have racked up fewer penalties than England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales and not seen a card of either colour.

But will that composure fray if the scoreline stays tight and the Stade de France starts rumbling and grumbling?

All matches on Saturday, 19 March

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