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England coach Steve Borthwick will have the chance to assess his team’s progress when they take on a France XV in a non-cap international on Saturday.
The match at Allianz Stadium is the second time that the teams have met this season.
During the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, a last-minute Elliot Daly try, and Fin Smith’s conversion secured a 26-25 win in London.
It helped England finish in second place, one point behind France.
Neither Borthwick, not his French counterpart Fabien Galthie were able to choose a full-strength squad.
Thirteen English players are on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, while Galthie has not been able to choose Toulouse, Union Bordeaux Bègles, Toulon, or Aviron Bayonnais players due to their involvement in the Top 14 playoffs.
BACKROW BEDROCK
If there is one area where England can claim to be stacked at the moment, it is in the backrow.
Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Henry Pollock, and Ollie Chessum are away with the Lions, but Borthwick has still named six back rowers in his squad to face France.
Ted Hill, Guy Pepper, and Tom Willis are the starting three, and even second row Alex Coles showed with two tries in the Investec Champions Cup Final that he is comfortable on the blindside.
Jack Kenningham, Alex Dombrandt, and Chandler Cunningham-South are on the bench, with Cunningham-South presumably the cover for the second row, as he was against Wales in the Six Nations.
Add Ben Curry, and the suspended Sam Underhill to that list, and it is clear that while Borthwick has issues in some positions, backrow isn’t one of them.
The big test on Saturday, is can they bring the same impetus that France’s bomb squad does.
SPENCER’S TIME TO SHINE
A week ago, Ben Spencer was on the Allianz Stadium pitch hoisting the Gallagher Premiership trophy above his head in his role as Bath captain.
Now he will be back at Twickenham in his latest chance to stake a claim to be England’s scrumhalf.
His most recent chance came in the Autumn Nations Cup, but he was part of two flat, uninspired performances against Australia and New Zealand.
Since then, the team has developed their style, and he has rebuilt his confidence while leading Bath to their first title since 1996.
Spencer has always been viewed as a scrumhalf with an impressive all-court game, but for some reason he hasn’t been able to show it in England colours.
With Alex Mitchell and Jack van Poortvliet (for now) away with the Lions, and Harry Randell injured, Spencer has a great chance to put down roots in Borthwick’s squad.
LIONS IN WAITING
Sometime during his flight to Perth, or soon after, Lions coach Andy Farrell is likely to sit down and watch the match back to see what shape any potential replacements are in.
Zander Fagerson has already withdrawn from the Lions squad through injury, and multiple tourists are carrying injury.
England’s match comes two weeks before Ireland and Wales’s first summer matches, and three weeks before Scotland’s.
As such the likes of George Ford, Jamie George, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, and Joe Heyes have the chance to show they are match sharp and ready to go, if they are needed in Australia over the next few weeks.
PLAYING POLITICS
As ever with French rugby politics are rarely far from the surface. This time the arguments between the Federation Francaise de Rugby (FFR) and the clubs has been over player release for the three test tour to New Zealand.
Les Bleus play the All Blacks on 5, 12, and 19 July, with the Top 14 Final taking place one week before the first test on 28 June.
Under their terms of the FFR’s agreement with the La Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) who represent the clubs Galthie will be able to take a squad of 42 players to New Zealand.
Only five of those will be from the Top 14 finalists, only those who have not featured too often in the Six Nations, oh and the clubs must give their consent.
Since Monday, the first wave of players from outside the Top 14 semifinalists have been in camp, and this is who Galthie will chose his team from.
On Monday, the players from the defeated semifinalists will join up, and on 1 July the players from the finalists will join the squad in New Zealand but won’t be available for the first test.
It is a distraction, but nothing focuses French players minds like the chance to get one over Les Rosbifs.
STAKING A CLAIM
France’s player release agreement means that 14 of the team that faced Scotland in their final Six Nations match won’t be available.
That means a chance for Nolann Le Garrec to remind everyone of his ability at scrumhalf, while Gael Fickou’s experience in the centre will be even more vital than usual for their defensive efforts.
In the pack Mickaël Guillard could slot in to replace Gregory Alldritt, and there may well be a return for veteran tighthead Rabah Slimani after his sojourn with Leinster.
Then there is the versatile Oscar Jegou. Will he start in the backrow or centre?
