Team news

England begin their Six Nations campaign against France in Paris on Sunday in their first match since losing the World Cup final three months ago.

Head coach Eddie Jones has promised a "brutal physicality" from England and has kept faith with 12 of the team who started against South Africa in Japan.

Northampton full-back George Furbank will make his Test debut after Bath wing Anthony Watson was ruled out with a calf injury.

Harlequins prop Joe Marler and Bath captain Charlie Ewels start but injured Billy Vunipola and Mako Vunipola, who is being rested according to Eddie Jones, are left out.

Winger Vincent Rattez has been drafted into France's side after Damian Penaud suffered a calf injury on Saturday.

Full-back Anthony Bouthier and prop Mohamed Haouas, both of Montpellier, make their debuts in new head coach Fabien Galthie's first selection.

Toulouse's 20-year-old fly-half Romain Ntamack starts alongside 23-year-old Antoine Dupont at scrum-half as Galthie looks to the future following France's disappointing World Cup quarter-final defeat by Wales.

Former Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards is also part of Les Bleus' new coaching set-up as the side aim to improve on last year's fourth-place finish in the Six Nations.

'I'm going for a monster score'

BBC TV rugby union commentator Eddie Butler: It looks as if the game, in general and not just this fixture, is going to be faster and lower. Scrum-halves are going to be given the hurry-up at the breakdown and head contact anywhere is going to be seriously investigated - with a red card almost the starting point when it comes to sanctions.

So, we may see freer arms for passing and reduced numbers on the field. In that case, given that France-England is always going to be aggressive, I'm going for a monster score. Let's say 44-40 with victory for… 14-man France over 13-man England.

One to watch - Charlie Ewels

Ewels has 12 England caps but the 24-year-old will be playing in his first Six Nations game, having pushed the more experienced George Kruis to the bench.

The Bath lock is arguably playing in one of the most competitive positions in the England team, with British and Irish Lions Maro Itoje and Courtney Lawes also able to play in the second row, but says he is enjoying the challenge.

"I'm pushing and testing myself against guys who have been on Lions tours and to World Cups," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "If I can break into this team then it means I am performing at a level up there with the best in the world. Physically I'm fitter and more powerful than I ever have been."

'Expect a ferocious battle' - view from both camps

France head coach Fabien Galthie: "Expect a ferocious pack. Expect a ferocious battle to win the ball. Expect my players to stand their ground with ferocious tackles and collisions.

"They will play with passion and go beyond their limits."

England head coach Eddie Jones on debutant George Furbank: "George is just a good rugby player. He reads the game well, he's decisive, has good core skills, runs good lines. He's a very impressive young fella.

"He's been very confident from what I've seen of him. He handles the pressure of games and handles the pressure of training.

"Nothing seems to faze him too much so he'll just get on with it."

Line-ups

France: 15-Anthony Bouthier, 14-Teddy Thomas, 13-Virimi Vakatawa, 12-Gael Fickou, 11-Vincent Rattez, 10-Romain Ntamack, 9-Antoine Dupont; 1-Cyril Baille, 2-Julien Marchand, 3-Mohamed Haouas, 4-Bernard Le Roux, 5-Paul Willemse, 6-Francois Cros, 7-Charles Ollivon, 8-Gregory Alldritt

Replacements: 16-Peato Mauvaka, 17-Jefferson Poirot, 18-Demba Bamba, 19-Boris Palu, 20-Cameron Woki, 21-Baptiste Serin, 22-Matthieu Jalibert, 23-TBC

England: 15-George Furbank, 14-Jonny May, 13-Manu Tuilagi, 12-Owen Farrell (captain), 11-Elliot Daly, 10-George Ford, 9-Ben Youngs; 1-Joe Marler, 2-Jamie George, 3-Kyle Sinckler, 4-Maro Itoje, 5-Charlie Ewels, 6-Courtney Lawes, 7-Sam Underhill, 8-Tom Curry

Replacements: 16-Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17-Ellis Genge, 18-Will Stuart, 19-George Kruis, 20-Lewis Ludlam, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-Ollie Devoto, 23-Jonathan Joseph

Match facts

Head-to-head

France

England

Match officials

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Touch judges: Andrew Brace (Ireland) & Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)

TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)