Les Bleus management staff keep it positive, even if bleak statistics suggest their inexperienced team may be rolled over
Suggestions that Sunday’s Autumn Nations Cup final will descend into farce have struck a chord with
France this week. According to the team manager, Raphaël Ibañez, they have resonated in the minds of the players, who “will not allow themselves to be pushed around”. Eddie Jones, for his part, is wary of the dangerous animal that will arrive at Twickenham and, at the risk of slipping into stereotypes, there are few things more dangerous than a French team who have been written off.
The statistics paint a bleak picture for France, however. They will line up with 68 caps in their side –
England have 813 – and only one of France’s starters, Brice Dulin, is into double figures. Ben Youngs, Owen Farrell and George Ford all have more caps themselves than their opponents combined. The French pack has just 16 between them and the captain, Baptiste Couilloud, is making his first start. It was a callow side that beat
Italy last weekend – it must be said by a bigger margin than England managed – but it has been further depleted by the uneasy agreement between the clubs and the union that French players can play only three of their six matches this autumn. In total, 20 players are unavailable because of that ruling with more out injured.