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Six Nations: England pick Care and Mako Vunipola for France

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments660

England prop Mako Vunipola
Mako Vunipola came off the bench to replace Joe Marler in the win over Wales
Six Nations: France v England
Date: Saturday, 19 March Venue: Stade de France,Paris Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app, plus live text commentary.

Danny Care and Mako Vunipola will start for England as they attempt to secure their first Grand Slam title since 2003 by beating France in Paris on Saturday.

Scrum-half Care and loose-head prop Vunipola replace Ben Youngs and Joe Marler respectively.

Youngs and Marler are on the bench as England make two changes to the XV that started in the 25-21 win over Wales.

England head coach Eddie Jones said: "We've picked our best 23 who we know can get the job done in Paris."

Marler drops to the replacements despite being cleared to play at the Stade de France late on Wednesday evening following a disciplinary hearing.

Marler and Samson Lee clash during England's 25-21 defeat of Wales
Marler and Samson Lee clashed during England's 25-21 defeat of Wales last weekend

The Harlequins forward escaped sanction for striking one Wales prop, Rob Evans, and verbally abusing another, Samson Lee.

Marler apologised to Lee at half-time after calling him "Gypsy boy".

George Ford retains the fly-half jersey with Owen Farrell at inside centre and Manu Tuilagi, who came on at 12 last week with Farrell moving to 10 and Ford being replaced, once again on the bench.

"While we are pleased to have already won the Championship, we don't want to let our foot off the gas," said Jones.

"The objective has always been to win every game, to be the most dominant team in Europe, so it's been very important for us to approach this week with the same level of intensity we have shown in previous weeks."

Grand Slam graphic

France coach Guy Noves has responded to last weekend's defeat by Scotland by drafting Loann Goujon and Bernard Le Roux into the back row.

Damien Chouly switches to blind-side flanker to make room for Bordeaux-Begles number eight Goujon to win his 10th cap.

Flankers Yacouba Camara and Wenceslas Lauret are dropped following the 29-18 loss at Murrayfield, but the rest of the side is unchanged.

"We need to bring the freshness in the team for Saturday's game," said Noves. "I am sure that our team can take on great challenges. I believe our team can compete with the power of the English."

England: M Brown; A Watson, J Joseph, O Farrell, J Nowell; G Ford, D Care; M Vunipola, D Hartley, D Cole, M Itoje, G Kruis, C Robshaw, J Haskell, B Vunipola.

Replacements: L Cowan-Dickie, J Marler, K Brookes, J Launchbury, J Clifford, B Youngs, M Tuilagi, E Daly.

France: S Spedding; W Fofana, G Fickou, M Mermoz, V Vakatawa; F Trinh-Duc, M Machenaud; J Poirot, G Guirado, R Slimani, A Flanquart, Y Maestri, D Chouly, B Le Roux, L Goujon.

Replacements: C Chat, U Atonio, X Chiocci, P Jedresiak, W Lauret, S Bezy, J Plisson, M Medard.

Six Nations table
With two points available for a win, England can not now be caught at the top of the table

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660 comments

  • Comment posted by U14797313, at 11:02 17 Mar 2016

    Having played rugby for 30 years (10-40), at various levels, I can say that the occasional punch or verbal abuse was relatively common. However unless it carried on in the bar afterwards or was a cowardly punch delivered with evil intent rather than the 'heat of the moment', it was forgiven and forgotten with a handshake at the end of the game. What happens on the rugby field should stay there.

  • Comment posted by graphica, at 10:48 17 Mar 2016

    Yes I am English

    Marlers forearm follow through would have been a yellow card if dealt with during the game not a red card and therefore there is no ban

    The gyspy comment was not good but this is rugby and plenty of sledging goes on

    IMO a very sensible solution - half time genuine apology, reprimanded, reminded of responsibilities and dropped to bench - good coaching from EJ

  • Comment posted by U3125334, at 11:16 17 Mar 2016

    Wow, people love to vilify a young man for a stupid heat of the moment comment that he apologised for mid-match. I think a sensible balance has been struck on the chastisement of the player.
    O

  • Comment posted by U14775279, at 11:37 17 Mar 2016

    @37 Nick Coyle....."Against the law" You're an idiot!
    It's people like you and the rest of those who just can't wait to be "offended" that should be locked up! And of course the welsh staff which have plenty to say about Marler "talking" but conveniently don't think Francis has anything to answer for. you whinging numpties make me sick!

  • Comment posted by Boom, at 11:31 17 Mar 2016

    These people getting offended on other peoples behalf, do me a favour!! And shame on the BBC for constant updates seemingly every day on the "banter",desperate to whip this up as a controversy!!
    A boring, non event that is nothing but a pointless distraction from what was an enthralling game of rugby.
    England to just squeak it in le crunch, France will do their utmost to ruin England's party.

  • Comment posted by CPG, at 11:52 17 Mar 2016

    Hopefully the Marler " Gypsy Boy" comment can now be put to bed. Samson Lee is a decent bloke who took it on the chin and accepted the apology. Stupid yes, racist clearly not. Sadly the agenda of the BBC has been very clear (just look at the number of articles, all of which have been strongly slanted).

    Let's now get back to the rugby!!

  • Comment posted by HMMurdoch, at 10:21 17 Mar 2016

    I hope they win with style, now the pressure of winning the 6N is gone. Come on England!

  • Comment posted by Tim, at 11:03 17 Mar 2016

    TommyF87
    What a sad person you are. England did not win because they cheated or abused the opposition, they won because they were the better team on the day.
    Plus, as you seem delusional may i suggest that whatever team you support are no angels once they get onto the field of battle. All teams regardless of what level they play at will push the rules to the max to get the upper hand. Grow up.

  • Comment posted by D G Hooper, at 10:35 17 Mar 2016

    I do worry about Mako in the scrum, he is no as bad as he was once. Danny deserves his place. I am from Somerset and my nick name is SomersetBoy, on top of that I have Romany Blood. So not sure what the fuss is about, other than over sensitivity. Interesting to see if this is deleted.

  • Comment posted by backchatter, at 11:09 17 Mar 2016

    37. Nick Coyle
    Are you seriously suggesting that calling someone Gypsy boy is somehow illegal? The lunatics really have taken over the asylum!

  • Comment posted by U14400003, at 10:23 17 Mar 2016

    Although I would love England to win the Grand Slam, just beating Wales was enough for me

  • Comment posted by Nimrod2, at 11:32 17 Mar 2016

    54. chunky

    I agree that Samson Lee handled it very well and credit to the guy.

    But whilst Marler was an idiot he will at least learn from it. I certainly think your description of him was a tad over the top. Fundamentally, he is decent man who made an error. If he learns from it and is better for it then that is the result we all want. If he doesn't he won't play again.

  • Comment posted by Nick Powell, at 10:20 17 Mar 2016

    Care deserves a start, did nothing wrong against Scotland and got dropped. Youngs has not been that great in the last three games. Huge game for England, best chance they've had to get a grand slam and best chance they will for the foreseeable future. I back them to do it, but it's France so you never know.

  • Comment posted by U3246151, at 13:11 17 Mar 2016

    148 nigles

    On and on it goes. Top class rugby is played on the edge, sometimes things spill over. Players shake hand at the end, have beer and put it in the past. It's what makes game what it is! I don't condone Marler but he apologised and everyone has moved on...except for bed-wetting PC clowns who thrive on offence real and imagined.

    Can I say that? Am I being offensive to bed-wetters?

  • Comment posted by BigRob, at 13:17 17 Mar 2016

    In the past the Marler/Lee would have been sorted privately over a pint and with a handshake after the game and then forgotten about. But this is 2016 and generation snowflake has to have its say

  • Comment posted by StuartMacLennan, at 10:24 17 Mar 2016

    As a Scot I doff my cap to Jones for keeping his squad on their toes, especially the scrum-halves. Once they sort out 10, 12 & 13, they'll be absolutely firing. Never write off the French of course!

  • Comment posted by inmyopinion, at 13:16 17 Mar 2016

    So let me get this straight,
    England only have any success through luck, if they do ever have said undeserved success then they all become arrogant.
    Noone except the English want them to have success and in reality they are worse than Wales in every aspect. Their only good players are foreigners.
    They under achieve because they are a rich and populous nation.
    Have I forgotten something?

  • Comment posted by BTS, at 11:26 17 Mar 2016

    When did "gypsy" become a race?

    Just because something is an insult doesn't make it racist.

  • Comment posted by Whisky and Chips, at 11:21 17 Mar 2016

    Seems to be that the only people who are offended by this are the do gooders and PC brigade - basically anyone but the people involved.

    It was nothing but a bit of on field jibing and nowhere near as bad as the forearm to the face that happened as well.

  • Comment posted by DickythePig, at 11:45 17 Mar 2016

    Swansea125, 'a broken jaw'.....really? I'm nearly 50 and of slight build and it wouldn't have broken my jaw. A little bit of a melodramatic over exaggeration I think. I'm also an experienced official and it was nothing near being worthy of a ban. Are you certain you're not just a little bit sour because Wales to to England, something a majority of people in Wales cannot stomach? Just asking.....

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