SF2: France v England; Saturday, 3.30pm; BBC1

[Which Tyler]

Re: Maggie Cogger-Orr
TJs: Clara Munarini, Kat Roche
TMO: Rachel Horton

France:
1. Yllana Brosseau
2. Agathe Gerin
3. Rose Bernadou
4. Madoussou Fall Raclot
5. Hina Ikahehegi
6. Charlotte Escudero
7. Lea Champon
8. Teani Feleu

09. Pauline Bourdon Sansus
10. Carla Arbez
11. Marine Menager
12. Gaby Vernier
13. Nassira Konde
14. Joanna Grisez
15. Morgane Bourgeois

16. Elisa Riffonneau, 17. Annaelle Deshaye, 18. Assia Khalfaoui, 19. Taina Maka, 20. Seraphine Okemba
21. Alexandra Chambon, 22. Lina Tuy, 23. Kelly Arbey

England:
1. Hannah Botterman
2. Amy Cokayne
3. Maud Muir
4. Morwenna Talling
5. Abbie Ward
6. Zoe Aldcroft
7. Sadia Kabeya
8. Alex Matthews

09. Natasha Hunt
10. Zoe Harrison
11. Jess Breach
12. Tatyana Heard
13. Megan Jones
14. Abby Dow
15. Ellie Kildunne

16. Lark Atkin-Davies, 17. Kelsey Clifford, 18. Sarah Bern, 19. Rosie Galligan, 20. Maddie Feaunati
21. Lucy Packer, 22. Holly Aitchison, 23. Helena Rowland

 

[Which Tyler]

England should be too strong for France - but a motivated France can hurt anyone, and England haven't been playing all that well, despite their scorelines. I fear that we're undercooked for this.

France are the Andy Murray of women's rugby - comfortably behind the top 3, but comfortably better than anyone else.

 

[Jimbo]

England should be too strong for France - but a motivated France can hurt anyone, and England haven't been playing all that well, despite their scorelines. I fear that we're undercooked for this.

France are the Andy Murray of women's rugby - comfortably behind the top 3, but comfortably better than anyone else.

Whilst England are undercooked and France were heavily tested and scraped through their QF last week would have taken a lot out of them both physically and mentally, it’s very hard to know which France will turn up.

I feel like this England team are the real deal and losing very few but critical games preventing them from tacking as many trophies as they might have will be a strong motivator.

 

[9215.]

I’m confident England will win but I’m going back and forth on what I expect the score line to be. France are weakened by a couple of bans and, I assume, an injury to Queyroi so if we really turn up it could be 40 but if we don’t and France do the wounded beast thing it could be worryingly close. I assume the game plan will be forward focused but it would good to see a bit of opening up and using the outside backs as I think we’ll need to if it’s Canada in the final.

 

[9215.]

Grisez is injured so Arbey is starting and Boulard’s on the bench.

 

[ikvat]

Too many key players are missing in les Bleues squad. I can't imagine a miracle against the numner one on their home soil.

 

[Ddanno]

Having Botterman and Kildunne back is reassuring.

Still an hour to go and I'm bored as hell. Start the match already!

 

[Which Tyler]

I'll be late - think I'm going to watch Exeter v Bath first (I can't record that one)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hope the French players have had their pre-match snack

 

[Which Tyler]

I'll be late - think I'm going to watch Exeter v Bath first (I can't record that one)

Maybe not, stream plays 5 seconds, halts for 15, plays 2, skips back to live, but only for 3 seconds before freezing again...

 

[Ddanno]

KDM bugs me. Terrible commentator.

 

[Ddanno]

Botterman you absolute queeeeen

 

[TommiG88]

Bit strong calling that audacious

Decent try

 

[TRF_Olyy]

She's such a cheat code, even just her running mechanics look a step above anyone else on the pitch
It's like watching an Olympic sprinter race a regular person

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Someone has slathered Kildunne is butter it seems

 

[Ddanno]

Marry me Ellie

 

[Ddanno]

France call a scrum.

Can't scrum.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm in France ATM so watching it on TF1, the commentary is very relatable - the audible sigh when France couldn't convert then, could almost hear the facepalm

 

[TommiG88]

Our hooker has had a up and down start

 

[TommiG88]

French looked to have gone into touch